Midwifery students’ perceptions on ethical rights of women using assisted reproductive technologies
International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare
ISSN: 2056-4902
Article publication date: 27 November 2023
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to understand how midwifery students view ethical rights concerning the usage of reproductive technologies.
Design/methodology/approach
A series of focus groups were conducted with midwifery students who were asked to discuss four novel scenarios highlighting some of the most controversial issues on the ethics of assisted reproductive technologies. The sample consisted of third-year students studying at the Department of Midwifery of a university in the fall semester of the 2020–2021 academic year. In total, 60 students aged between 20 and 23 participated in the study (mean age 21.5 years).
Findings
Four scenarios that may be encountered in the use of assisted reproductive techniques were presented to the students. These scenarios were about IVF treatment, using the preimplantation gender identification technique, surrogate mother and using frozen zygotes. Four themes were identified from the analysis of the focus group data related to all four scenarios. These themes were: female reproduction, sex selection, surrogacy and reproductive cloning.
Originality/value
This study reveals what midwifery students consider essential components of assisted reproduction techniques, focusing on the professional attributes of shared decision-making. The results suggest that student midwives are sensitive to the range of ethical dilemmas associated with the increased use of technology in human reproduction, and construct distinct bound arise in relation to what is considered of benefit or good to the mother, parents, the child and to society. They also expressed their opposition to the excessive use of technological intervention, preferring instead to maintain a more naturalistic approach to reproduction.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank all the midwifery students who participated in the study.
Funding: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency from the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Disclosure statement: The author(s) declare(s) that there is no conflict of interest.
Ethical approval: The study was reviewed and granted formal ethical approval by an ethics committee at the Faculty of Health Science at XXX University. The participants received verbal information about the study and gave their consent.
Citation
Ejder Tekgündüz, S., Gürol, A. and Ejder Apay, S. (2023), "Midwifery students’ perceptions on ethical rights of women using assisted reproductive technologies", International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHRH-05-2023-0041
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited