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Aznar and Cerda1Aznar J. Cerda G. Influence of religious beliefs in the professional practice of the USA gynecologists.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2012; 207: eXAbstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (1) Google Scholar note that although a high percentage of physicians believe that pregnancy begins at conception, many fewer oppose interventions that may act by preventing implantation of the embryo. They conclude, “religious beliefs do not seem to have an influence on their recommendation; they will probably have even less influence on the ‘theoretical’ issues such as whether gestation begins at fertilization or implantation.”Our data suggest that the opposite is true: physicians' opinions about the ethics of abortion, the intrauterine device, emergency contraception, and assisted reproduction2Lawrence R.E. Rasinski K.A. Yoon J.D. Curlin F.A. Obstetrician-gynecologists' views on contraception and natural family planning: a national survey.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2011; 204: 124.e1-124.e7Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (19) Google Scholar, 3Lawrence R.E. Rasinski K.A. Yoon J.D. Curlin F.A. Obstetrician-gynecologist physicians' beliefs about emergency contraception: a national survey.Contraception. 2010; 82: 324-330Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (33) Google Scholar, 4Lawrence R.E. Rasinski K.A. Yoon J.D. Curlin F.A. Obstetrician-gynecologists' beliefs about assisted reproductive technologies.Obstet Gynecol. 2010; 116: 127-135Crossref PubMed Scopus (34) Google Scholar, 5Stulberg D.B. Dude A.M. Dahlquist I. Curlin F.A. Abortion provision among practicing obstetrician-gynecologists.Obstet Gynecol. 2011; 118: 609-614Crossref PubMed Scopus (50) Google Scholar are significantly associated with physicians' religious characteristics. Yet, many obstetrician-gynecologists who indicated that they have moral objections to these interventions also indicated that they would provide them if a patient requested.It would seem that there has been a shift, particularly in the field of obstetrics and gynecology, toward providing nondirective counsel to patients6Yoon J.D. Rasinski K.A. Curlin F.A. Moral controversy, directive counsel, and the doctor's role: findings from a national survey of obstetrician–gynecologists.Acad Med. 2010; 85: 1475-1481Crossref PubMed Scopus (30) Google Scholar and accommodating patient requests, even for interventions to which the physician objects. Whether this shift is good for obstetrics and gynecology is a question worthy of further debate. Aznar and Cerda1Aznar J. Cerda G. Influence of religious beliefs in the professional practice of the USA gynecologists.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2012; 207: eXAbstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (1) Google Scholar note that although a high percentage of physicians believe that pregnancy begins at conception, many fewer oppose interventions that may act by preventing implantation of the embryo. They conclude, “religious beliefs do not seem to have an influence on their recommendation; they will probably have even less influence on the ‘theoretical’ issues such as whether gestation begins at fertilization or implantation.” Our data suggest that the opposite is true: physicians' opinions about the ethics of abortion, the intrauterine device, emergency contraception, and assisted reproduction2Lawrence R.E. Rasinski K.A. Yoon J.D. Curlin F.A. Obstetrician-gynecologists' views on contraception and natural family planning: a national survey.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2011; 204: 124.e1-124.e7Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (19) Google Scholar, 3Lawrence R.E. Rasinski K.A. Yoon J.D. Curlin F.A. Obstetrician-gynecologist physicians' beliefs about emergency contraception: a national survey.Contraception. 2010; 82: 324-330Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (33) Google Scholar, 4Lawrence R.E. Rasinski K.A. Yoon J.D. Curlin F.A. Obstetrician-gynecologists' beliefs about assisted reproductive technologies.Obstet Gynecol. 2010; 116: 127-135Crossref PubMed Scopus (34) Google Scholar, 5Stulberg D.B. Dude A.M. Dahlquist I. Curlin F.A. Abortion provision among practicing obstetrician-gynecologists.Obstet Gynecol. 2011; 118: 609-614Crossref PubMed Scopus (50) Google Scholar are significantly associated with physicians' religious characteristics. Yet, many obstetrician-gynecologists who indicated that they have moral objections to these interventions also indicated that they would provide them if a patient requested. It would seem that there has been a shift, particularly in the field of obstetrics and gynecology, toward providing nondirective counsel to patients6Yoon J.D. Rasinski K.A. Curlin F.A. Moral controversy, directive counsel, and the doctor's role: findings from a national survey of obstetrician–gynecologists.Acad Med. 2010; 85: 1475-1481Crossref PubMed Scopus (30) Google Scholar and accommodating patient requests, even for interventions to which the physician objects. Whether this shift is good for obstetrics and gynecology is a question worthy of further debate. Influence of religious beliefs in the professional practice of US gynecologistsAmerican Journal of Obstetrics & GynecologyVol. 207Issue 5PreviewA recent article published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology1 evaluated how religious beliefs influenced gynecologists' notions about when gestation begins. Full-Text PDF