RESEARCH PAPER
Bioethical and social determinants of in vitro fertilisation in the opinions of midwives
1
Samodzielna Pracownia Socjologii Medycyny, Wydział Pielęgniarstwa i Nauk o Zdrowiu, Uniwersytet Medyczny w Lublinie
2
Pracownia Pielęgniarstwa Środowiskowego, Wydział Pielęgniarstwa i Nauk o Zdrowiu, Uniwersytet Medyczny w Lublinie
Med Og Nauk Zdr. 2011;17(2):75-79
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
The process of the progressive medicalization of social life led to the use of the biomedical category o ‘disease’ with regard to the phenomenon of infertility. As a consequence of such an interpretation, all medical intervention aimed at procreation, including in vitro, have been justifi ed. However, in the current discussion concerning the conditioning and consequences of infertility, there co-occur various arguments – medical, social, religious and ethical.
Objective:
The objective of the study is to determine midwives’ opinions pertaining to the reasons for IVF use by infertile couples, and to investigate the attitudes towards in vitro fertilization, which in midwives’ opinions, are dominant in Poland.
Material and Methods:
The research was conducted in 2009, among 107 midwives who improved their qualifi cations by undertaking studies at the Medical University in Lublin.
Results:
According to respondents, the main reason for IVF use amongst infertile women is to satisfy their maternal needs (57.0%). More than 23.4 % of these women benefi t from the advancements in medicine. The vast majority of midwives declared positive attitudes towards in vitro fertilization (78.5%); nevertheless, they mentioned that the infertile couples equally often represent negative (32.7%) and positive (30.8%) attitudes towards IVF. As far as social opinions are concerned, according to 76.6% of respondents, these are primarily medical reasons that speak for in vitro fertilization, while the religious reasons are against (80.3%).
Conclusions:
The results of the research refl ect the pluralism of opinions about in vitro fertilization among the representatives of various social and occupational groups in Poland. In midwives’ opinions, the medical perception of fertility was dominant, as well as a high level of acceptance of in vitro fertilization. Among the reasons for making decisions concerning the use of IVF by the infertile couples, apart from personal preferences, the respondents perceived the opportunities off ered by modern medicine. Midwives stressed that societal attitudes towards infertile couples using in vitro fertilization vary depending on medical,religious and ethical beliefs.
The process of the progressive medicalization of social life led to the use of the biomedical category o ‘disease’ with regard to the phenomenon of infertility. As a consequence of such an interpretation, all medical intervention aimed at procreation, including in vitro, have been justifi ed. However, in the current discussion concerning the conditioning and consequences of infertility, there co-occur various arguments – medical, social, religious and ethical.
Objective:
The objective of the study is to determine midwives’ opinions pertaining to the reasons for IVF use by infertile couples, and to investigate the attitudes towards in vitro fertilization, which in midwives’ opinions, are dominant in Poland.
Material and Methods:
The research was conducted in 2009, among 107 midwives who improved their qualifi cations by undertaking studies at the Medical University in Lublin.
Results:
According to respondents, the main reason for IVF use amongst infertile women is to satisfy their maternal needs (57.0%). More than 23.4 % of these women benefi t from the advancements in medicine. The vast majority of midwives declared positive attitudes towards in vitro fertilization (78.5%); nevertheless, they mentioned that the infertile couples equally often represent negative (32.7%) and positive (30.8%) attitudes towards IVF. As far as social opinions are concerned, according to 76.6% of respondents, these are primarily medical reasons that speak for in vitro fertilization, while the religious reasons are against (80.3%).
Conclusions:
The results of the research refl ect the pluralism of opinions about in vitro fertilization among the representatives of various social and occupational groups in Poland. In midwives’ opinions, the medical perception of fertility was dominant, as well as a high level of acceptance of in vitro fertilization. Among the reasons for making decisions concerning the use of IVF by the infertile couples, apart from personal preferences, the respondents perceived the opportunities off ered by modern medicine. Midwives stressed that societal attitudes towards infertile couples using in vitro fertilization vary depending on medical,religious and ethical beliefs.
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| eISSN: | 2084-4905 |
| ISSN: | 2083-4543 |
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