Non-medical selection criteria for artificial insemination and adoption

A survey of Canadian providers of AID was conducted, along with a parallel survey of adoption workers. The questionnaire focused upon non-medical criteria for patient acceptance (for AID and adoption), including acceptance/rejection of single, lesbian, and common-law women, those economically or mentally unable to support children, and those who themselves have or whose partners have criminal records. Further questions concerned decision-making in patient selection, referral of unacceptable patients elsewhere, and the influence if any of legal advice. Most characteristics reflect great disagreement and lack of consensus within the profession. Attitudes towards characteristics may be influenced by the size and form (university vs private) of the practice, as well as by experience with patients with those characteristics. Systematic differences between AID and adoption providers are detailed and explored, as are implications of the study for the development of bioethical thinking and policy making.