Attitudes among health care professionals on the ethics of assisted reproductive technologies and legal abortion.
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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
de la Fuente Fonnest
I
I
Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Hospital of Gentofte, Denmark.
Søndergaard
F
F
Fonnest
G
G
Vedsted-Jacobsen
A
A
D000029:Abortion, Legal / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003718:Denmark; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008880:Midwifery; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology; D009774:Obstetrics; D011247:Pregnancy; D012099:Reproductive Techniques / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires