Infertility, technology and the law. Patients' and future doctors' opinions.

The rectifying of infertility by application of modern technology has been a topic for debate in modern society over the past decade. Laws regulating the investigation and treatment of infertility have been passed in many countries, for instance in Norway and Sweden, while other nations await future developments. In this paper, some users of the technology--female infertility patients and future medical doctors--present their attitudes toward controversial issues of infertility, investigated by means of a survey questionnaire issued to them in 1987-88. Medical students have a more restrictive attitude than former patients, whereas religious beliefs influence the viewpoints of the patients. Both groups seem to have opinions that to a large degree accept the content of the Norwegian law.