REPRODUCTIVE AUTONOMY: ANALYSING THE IMPACT OF ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY ACT 2021

The revolution in modern medical science has disrupted traditional notions of human reproduction and has granted millions the agency to view procreation beyond biological restrictions. As the society struggles with the ethical, legal, and moral dimensions of accessing these technologies, the concept of reproductive autonomy has emerged as a crucial theoretical perspective. This paper attempts to emphasize the concept of autonomy and its relationship with reproductive rights and freedom. It enunciates the effect of stratification and social position of an individual on the accessibility to reproductive technology. It further analyses the impact of the Assisted Reproductive Technology Act 2021 and Surrogacy Act 2021 on accessibility and autonomy of individuals and attempts to critique the same. It also presents a short comparative analysis of the concept with similar legislations from United Kingdom, Israel, United States of America and France.