Posthumous assisted reproduction: a survey of attitudes of couples seeking fertility treatment and the degree of agreement between intimate partners.

OBJECTIVE: To study attitudes about posthumous assisted reproduction (PAR) in individuals presenting for assisted reproduction, to examine the degree of concordance of attitudes within couples, and to determine whether individuals can accurately predict the attitudes of their intimate partners.
DESIGN: Cross sectional survey.
SETTING: University-based fertility center. PATIENT(S): One hundred six couples presenting for an initial fertility evaluation. INTERVENTION(S): Anonymous survey completed independently by each partner. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): 1) individual attitudes about PAR, 2) the rate of concordance in attitudes within couples, and 3) the ability of individuals to predict their partner's attitudes. RESULT(S): Approximately 78% of individuals stated they would permit PAR. Couples expressed concordant attitudes about 75% of the time. Statistically, women and men were equivalent in correctly predicting their partner's attitudes (79% vs. 71%). CONCLUSION(S): Although most individuals presenting for fertility treatment would agree to PAR, there was also a notable portion that stated that they would not consent with the process. Although most couples had concordant attitudes, discordance was also prevalent. Individuals often, but not always, were able to predict their partner's attitudes about PAR.