[Therapy of sterility from the viewpoint of females]

361 gynecological out-patients were questioned by means of a standardised questionnaire concerning their attitude towards the following possibilities of therapy procedures in case of sterility: 1. Artificial Insemination by Husband (AIH) 2. Artificial Insemination by Donor (AID) 3. In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) 4. Surrogate motherhood 5. Microsurgery Clearly positive was their attitude towards microsurgery, AIH and IVF. The patients would, in case of a corresponding sterility problem, accept such therapy for themselves. Negative, however, was their attitude towards AID and surrogate motherhood. Acceptance turned out to be significantly higher in regard to the medically and psychologically more precarious procedures like IVF, AID and surrogate motherhood, when asked whether they would tolerate such therapy for other involuntarily childless couples. Acceptance and valuation of procedures repeatedly followed the same order: microsurgery was judged "most moral" and "most natural", then AIH, IVF, AID and last surrogate motherhood. So traditional ideas of standards and values are decisive factors of acceptance. Emotionally the experience of sexuality, the progenitive act and pregnancy seem to belong together. The more a medical-technical procedure will interfere with their privacy the less it will be accepted. No difference in attitude was to be detected in regard to demographic criterions like age or religion. Sterile women, however, were far more prepared to undergo a physically as well as emotionally strenuous therapy in order to have their childwish come true. Personal involvement plays a decisive role in the acceptance of medically and psychologically more precarious procedures like IVF and AID. In comparison the extent of medical-technical efforts, and health risks, seem to be of minor importance.