Decline in ethical concerns about reproductive technologies among a representative sample of US women. (October 2017) - Greil, Arthur L.
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.