ATTITUDES OF INFERTILE WOMEN IN SERBIA TOWARDS THIRD-PARTY REPRODUCTION

Abstract

Third-party reproduction refers to the use of gametes, embryos or gestation that have been provided by a third party to enable an infertile individual or couple to become parent(s). The social, legal, and ethical acceptability of third-party reproduction varies around the world. In Serbia, there is a noticeable lack of data on attitudes towards infertility treatments involving the use of donated gametes, as well as surrogacy arrangements, due to the fact that this practice is banned in this country. The aim of this paper is to examine the attitudes of infertile women in Serbia towards third-party reproduction, i.e. gamete donation and surrogate motherhood as potential parts of their own infertility treatments. The sample included 50 infertile women involved in the program of in vitro fertilization, which amounts to at least 10% of the total number of women who go through the program of state-funded in vitro fertilization in Novi Sad each year. The questionnaire, constructed for the purpose of the study, was administered. The participants expressed negative attitudes towards using third-party gamete donation and surrogacy in their own infertility treatments. The negative attitudes were most prevalent among participants with low- and medium-level education. The potential reasons for such attitudes are discussed.