Moral Reservations Research Articles

Preembryo research: medical aspects and ethical considerations.

Recent advances in the field of reproduction have made it possible to obtain preembryos and to use them in many research applications. These include research into improving methods of IVF treatment, contraceptive research, preimplantation diagnosis, gene therapy, the study of malignant disease, and others. The benefits, academic and scientific, are enormous, but many moral and ethical issues and reservations exist. Potential sources from which the preembryos may originate may also lead to controversy. Pressure groups in various societies seek to hasten governments into legislation or other means of control. We conducted a MEDLINE search of all pertinent literature since 1980, and these findings have been reviewed.

Averting the 21st century's demographic crisis: Can human numbers be reduced by 75%?

This article identifies 10 "inescapable realities" about global population growth. The long-term carrying capacity is "somewhere around 2 billion people." "Rational equitable and attainable" population goals are necessary in the near future and these goals must address how to create and sustain an adequate standard of living for all people while not exceeding carrying capacity. Both growth rates and population size must be reduced over the immediate 50-75 years for attainment of 2 billion people in the year 2200. Population reduction must follow population stabilization. The scale complexity multidisciplinary nature and sociopolitical sensitivities of analyzing the population problem has resulted in a powerlessness to act. There is the added problem of establishing quantifiable and empirically testable parameters for estimating long-term carrying capacity. Reluctance to establish how many people the Earth can support may be due to "ingrained scientific caution concerns about professional reputation and advancement the increasing specialized nature of scientific investigation personal qualms about reaching controversial conclusions or unpalatable sociopolitical ideological moral or religious reservations." Even in the best of circumstances it is possible that a 2 billion population in 2200 may not be achieved. What works against reduced population size is a "persistent deep-seated inability" to conceptualize the long-term and a propensity toward excess fertility. Even if the target population is understated the actual size of population must still be reduced. The author contends that reduced population size is attainable because man has a "deep-rooted investment in immortality and an individual and collective concern for posterity." It would help if all the world religions would adopt a clear policy on collective reproductive responsibility. Population reduction must be a priority issue that comes from within people and all other issues must be secondary in importance.

Morality and Legality

Analysis of 2 recent surveys of the attitudes of US women on the morality and legality of abortion and the political implications of those attitudes, and on the characteristics of women who report having had abortions. About 70% of women surveyed believed legal abortion should be available for any woman who wants 1, but only 1/3 believed abortion to be morally justified under all circumstances. Only a minority believed that abortion was wrong under the most commonly given reasons for abortion, and a substantial majority believed it is justified for reasons of health or in cases of rape or incest or a defective fetus. Because there was no single circumstance among the 10 choices which were held to be immoral by a majority of the women, a legal restriction which would not violate the consciences of a majority of women would be difficult to construct. While opponents of abortion are more likely than supporters to support political candidates solely on the abortion issue, supporters so far outnumber opponents that single issue voters are twice as likely to be prochoice than antiabortion. Little differences were found among Catholics and nonCatholics in the proportions that support legal abortions, although Catholics were more likely to have moral reservations. Strongest support for legal abortion was found among women who had had abortions, blacks, and from women who attend religious services less than once a month. Majorities in opposition to legal abortions were found in none of the subgroups. Comparison with surveys of abortion providers showed that the truthfulness with which women reported their abortion experience in these polls was greater among younger women: 80% and 60% of women under age 25 reported truthfully, while 32% and 53% of those aged 25-44 underreported abortion experience. Among other findings of the polls: at least 4 million US women now living have had illegal abortions; Catholic and Protestant women are about as likely to obtain an abortion; women who attend religious services regularly are relatively less likely to obtain them; older women of higher socioeconomic status were more likely to have obtained an abortion during the period when they were illegal; the overwhelming majority of women who had abortions believed it to have been right to do so and that they are better off for having done so.

Sexual and contraceptive attitudes and behaviour of single attenders at a Dublin family planning clinic.

SummaryA preliminary breakdown of the characteristics of all new attenders at a Dublin family planning clinic during the first 6 months of 1974, showed that just under half of those attending were unmarried at the time of their first visit. Of these single women, three in five planned to marry shortly and two in five had no marriage plans. The main part of the study concentrates on this latter group. A sample of 50 women was interviewed and the results provide some factual data on their family and educational background, their sexual and contraceptive behaviour and their attitudes to related issues. They came mainly from upper-middle income groups and had a high standard of education. Although they were, almost without exception, born into Roman Catholic families, only just over a quarter were regular church attenders. All but 6% were already sexually experienced at the time of their first visit and most were now involved in a stable sexual relationship which involved having intercourse at least once a month; while well informed on contraception, only a small minority had always used a reliable method. Since the mean interval between first intercourse and their first visit to the clinic was over 2.2 years, the majority had been at risk of becoming pregnant. One in six of those interviewed had experienced pregnancy and half of these had sought an abortion. While 76% of the sample considered abortion acceptable in at least extreme cases, only 12% were without strong moral reservations; in the event of pregnancy 32% would consider seeking an abortion. A correlational analysis of some of the results is presented.