Open AccessAccess to artificial reproduction technology in the Nordic countries in 2004
Author(s) -
OLAFSDOTTIR HELGA SOL,
MATTS WIKLAND,
ANDERS MÖLLER
Publication year - 2009
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 - 10.1080/00016340802705949
Subject(s) - legislation , medicine , subsidy , assisted reproductive technology , environmental health , demography , socioeconomics , political science , law , infertility , pregnancy , economics , sociology , biology , genetics
Objective. To survey access to Artificial Reproduction Technology (ART) treatments in 2004 with regard to legislation, geographical location, financing and the kind of ART treatments provided in the Nordic countries. Design . Retrospective descriptive survey of practice at ART clinics and legislation. Setting. Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Sample. Sixty‐six ART clinics registered with the Nordic Fertility Society in autumn 2005. Methods. A questionnaire was sent to all ART clinics and a survey of legislation concerning ART treatments and public statistics was performed. The response rate was 79%. Main outcome measures. Access to ART treatments. Results. The differences in legislation among the countries mainly concerns gamete donation. Couples living in larger cities or densely populated areas have best access to ART treatments. With regard to subsidizing of treatment costs, Finland and Denmark seem to be the best of the Nordic countries. Conclusions. The main differences among the countries concern the legislation, the cost of the treatments and how those are subsidized.