Abstract
Human reproduction, pregnancy and perinatal care have undergone changes like never before in the last century. Until the second half of the 19th century, the classic obstetrics was concerned about the survival of the mother, potential profit for the newborn was considered only a "side effect".
Nowadays, it is no longer a problem to "get the fetus out" of the mother's body, but we can also handle most of the previously deadly conditions like infectious diseases or severe bleeding. Heparin prophylaxis contributed to overcoming the threat of fatal thrombosis and embolism.
Maternal death became an extremely rare event. Current perinatology and fetal medicine focuses on the quality of conception and the life quality of the surviving newborn.
New technologies that have emerged in the last 40 years are still expanding rapidly. It is difficult to predict what will the reproduction look like in 50 years' time but it is already clear today that ethical issues will be even more important that the new technical methods.
Because the fact that we are technically able to provide something does not always entitle us to actually do it.