Open AccessAttitudes among health care professionals on the ethics of assisted reproductive technologies and legal abortion
Author(s) -
FUENTE FONNEST ISABEL,
SØNDERGAARD FINN,
FONNEST GERT,
VEDSTEDJACOBSEN AGNETE
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0412.2000.079001049.x
Subject(s) - abortion , medicine , danish , health professionals , anonymity , family medicine , health care , multivariate analysis , positive attitude , nursing , social psychology , pregnancy , psychology , law , philosophy , linguistics , genetics , political science , biology
Background. The purpose of the present study was to study the attitudes among Danish health care professionals likely to encounter ethical controversies of ART and related subjects. Methods. Anonymous questionnaire study design. A total number of 993 were asked to participate from May‐July 1994. Results. There was a tendency towards a more liberal attitude among gynecologists than among nurses. There was a majority for legal abortion (before 12 weeks of gestation), for selective reduction in multiple pregnancies, and for donor anonymity. There was a majority against sex selection, artificial reproduction as to single women and lesbians, and against adoption by homosexuals. The multivariate analysis showed a strong correlation between attitude and background variables, especially as to religion and profession. Conclusion. Religion and profession are determinants for the attitude towards several of the ethical controversies of ART and related subjects asked for in this study. We found a discrepancy between recommendations by the Ethical Council of Denmark and the attitudes among health care professionals.