Perinatal Bioethics: A Necessary Dialogue from Anáhuac University

The First Congress on Perinatal Bioethics brings together experts, students, and professionals from various disciplines to reflect on the ethical care of human life from its earliest stages.

The North Campus of Anáhuac University of Mexico opened its doors to an unpostponable conversation. From March 18 to 22, 2025, the First Congress on Perinatal Bioethics will be held, a joint effort between several schools and academic centers that share a common concern: to consider, with rigor and sensitivity, the decisions surrounding the beginning of life.

Dr. José Alberto Castilla Barajas, director of the School of Bioethics, delivered the opening remarks. He emphasized that this conference was born from cross-disciplinary work and the desire to answer difficult questions through dialogue, science, and humanity.

The initiative arose from a specific academic concern. Gabriela Oria de Quinzaños, coordinator of the Perinatal Education Specialization, shared that her students have been taking a bioethics seminar for three decades. This year, the search for new speakers sparked something even bigger: “We transformed that seminar into a conference that has exceeded our expectations. Today we have the opportunity to establish a broader and deeper dialogue on topics that concern not only specialists, but also every individual.”

The program includes lectures, roundtables, and discussion sessions bringing together specialists in fetal medicine, psychology, education, philosophy, and public health. Topics range from ethical dilemmas in prenatal diagnosis to emotional care for mothers and families.

Perinatal Bioethics cannot be understood without a multidisciplinary approach. Therefore, the event was organized by the School of Bioethics, the School of Health Sciences, the School of Psychology, the School of Education and Humanities, the Anáhuac Center for Strategic Development in Bioethics, the Center for Continuing Education, and other external institutions such as the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEMéx), the Mexican National Academy of Bioethics, and several organizations specializing in fetal medicine and perinatal care.

This conference, with its curricular value, sets a precedent. It becomes a space where the university not only trains specialists but also convenes them to think together. As Dr. Castilla noted, “perinatal ethics requires us to recognize that every decision has a profound impact. Technical knowledge is not enough; sensitivity, judgment, and collaboration are required.”

The opening ceremony concluded with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Dr. Salvador Bueno Valenzuela, member of the Rectoral Committee of Anáhuac University Mexico; Dr. Francesca Munda Magill, director of the School of Education and Humanities; Gabriela Oria de Quinzaños, academic coordinator of the Perinatal Education Specialty Program; and Dr. José Alberto Castilla Barajas, director of the School of Bioethics.

The university community and interested public can view the full program and register for the presentations through the official website: First Congress on Perinatal Bioethics

With this conference, Anáhuac University Mexico takes on an urgent task: opening spaces where knowledge is humanized and where difficult questions are confronted in community. The conversation is just beginning.