Decline in ethical concerns about reproductive technologies among a representative sample of US women

Arthur L. Greil, Kathleen S. Slauson-Blevins, Karina M. Shreffler, Katherine M. Johnson, Michelle H. Lowry, Andrea R. Burch, Julia McQuillan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

Public awareness and utilization of assisted reproductive technology has been increasing, but little is known about changes in ethical concerns over time. The National Survey of Fertility Barriers, a national, probability-based sample of US women, asked 2031 women the same set of questions about ethical concerns regarding six reproductive technologies on two separate occasions approximately 3 years apart. At Wave 1 (2004–2007), women had more concerns about treatments entailing the involvement of a third party than about treatments that did not. Ethical concerns declined between Wave 1 and Wave 2, but they declined faster for treatments entailing the involvement of a third party. Ethical concerns declined faster for women with greater levels of concern at Wave 1. Initial ethical concerns were higher, and there was less of a decline in ethical concerns for women with higher initial levels of religiosity.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)789-805
Number of pages17
JournalPublic Understanding of Science
Volume26
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Oct 2017
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • biotechnology
  • ethics
  • genetic and reproductive technologies

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