TY - JOUR T1 - Lesbian motherhood and mitochondrial replacement techniques: reproductive freedom and genetic kinship JF - Journal of Medical Ethics JO - J Med Ethics DO - 10.1136/medethics-2017-104450 SP - medethics-2017-104450 AU - Giulia Cavaliere AU - César Palacios-González Y1 - 2018/02/28 UR - http://jme.bmj.com/content/early/2018/02/28/medethics-2017-104450.abstract N2 - In this paper, we argue that lesbian couples who wish to have children who are genetically related to both of them should be allowed access to mitochondrial replacement techniques (MRTs). First, we provide a brief explanation of mitochondrial diseases and MRTs. We then present the reasons why MRTs are not, by nature, therapeutic. The upshot of the view that MRTs are non-therapeutic techniques is that their therapeutic potential cannot be invoked for restricting their use only to those cases where a mitochondrial DNA disease could be ‘cured’. We then argue that a positive case for MRTs is justified by an appeal to reproductive freedom, and that the criteria to access these techniques should hence be extended to include lesbian couples who wish to share genetic parenthood. Finally, we consider a potential objection to our argument: that the desire to have genetically related kin is not a morally sufficient reason to allow lesbian couples to access MRTs. ER -