Assisted reproductive technology (ART) allows people who are infertile the opportunity to conceive children and form much desired families. Over the past few decades, the number of ART procedures conducted in the United States has steadily increased, in part affected by the growing number of women trying to conceive later in their reproductive lives. This demographic shift in baby making has widened to include a variety of other people who experience social infertility, from single persons to same-sex couples. Media exposure and political attention to the use of ART have aroused public concern and controversy. In Assisted Reproduction, Alexandra E. Sigillo and Monica K. Miller explore how media, personal differences, societal influences, and psychological processes shape community sentiment toward ART and ART-related laws and policies. This book is recommended for students and scholars of psychology, sociology, gender and women's studies, communication studies, public health, and legal studies.

Preface

Introduction: Assisted Reproductive Technology: Why All the Controversy?

Chapter 1: The Players, Procedures, Outcomes, and Objections

Chapter 2: How Assisted Reproduction Shapes Family Law

Chapter 3: The Relationship between Media and Community Sentiment toward ART

Chapter 4: How Personal Differences Shape Community Sentiment toward ART

Chapter 5: How Societal Factors Affect Community Sentiment toward ART

Chapter 6: How Psychological Processes Influence Community Sentiment toward ART

Chapter 7: Furthering the Study of Community Sentiment toward ART

Conclusion: As Reproductive Technology Advances, Divided Sentiment Remains

Appendix A: Scientific Information About Infertility and IVF (Study 2)

Appendix B: Manipulated Messages (Study 2)

Appendix C: Measures for Both Studies

References

Index

About the Authors