Views on Abortion: A Comparison of Female Genetic Counselors and Women from the General Population

In many states, abortion laws are becoming increasingly restrictive. Prenatal genetic counselors often see patients after the diagnosis of a fetal abnormality or genetic disorder and discuss the option of termination of pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to understand prenatal genetic counselors' perspectives on how state abortion laws impact their practice. Qualitative semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 16 prenatal genetic counselors in states with restrictive abortion laws who were recruited from the National Society of Genetic Counselors' online directory. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed thematically, yielding five themes: genetic counselors in this study described (a) how state laws restrict access to abortion; (b) how they navigate state laws and institutional policies regarding abortion; (c) how they tailor their professional practice in the context of state abortion laws; (d) how abortion laws burden patients; and (e) how they engage in forms of advocacy. Participants described the financial and emotional burden placed on their patients by state abortion laws and how the laws influence their patient interactions. As access to abortion becomes more restricted, it is important to be aware of how this will impact genetic counselors and their patients.

Section: The American College Of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (Acog)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring prenatal genetic counselors' perceptions of abortion laws in restrictive states

Koenig

Simi

Goldenberg

et al. 2019

“…Religiosity and spirituality may also play a role in the decisions individuals make regarding genetic testing (Schwartz et al 2000;White 2006). Given that religious beliefs influence moral and ethical worldviews, religious beliefs may contribute to ethical conflicts that can occur between the personal and professional values of genetic counselors (Bower et al 2002;Pencarinha et al 1992;Veach et al 2001;Woltanski et al 2009;Wyatt et al 1996). Furthermore, there is the possibility that genetic counselors will project their values onto their clients/patients during a counseling session, as has been documented among mental health workers and therapists (Burke and Miranti 1992;Kelly 1994).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A study on spirituality assessment practices of genetic counselors found that 68% of genetic counselors reported a religious affiliation, 24% reported no religious affiliation, and 7.5% did not respond to the question (Reis et al 2007). A third study on abortion attitudes of genetic counselors found that 76% of genetic counseling respondents reported a religious affiliation, while 24% reported no affiliation (Woltanski et al 2009). Thus, it appears genetic counselors may be slightly less likely to have a religious affiliation compared to the general public.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Whether there are differences between genetic counselors and the general public on other measures of religiosity is not well established, although one study mentions a significant difference in terms of religious service attendance (Woltanski et al 2009). Among the general U.S. population, 40% report they attend religious services at least weekly, although actual attendance rates are closer to 25% (Hadaway et al 1998).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Among the general U.S. population, 40% report they attend religious services at least weekly, although actual attendance rates are closer to 25% (Hadaway et al 1998). Woltanski et al (2009) noted that women from the general U.S. population with similar levels of education report significantly higher rates of religious service attendance compared to female genetic counselors. Other prior studies of genetic counselors have obtained additional measures of religiosity, but these measures are not directly comparable to data from the general U.S. population.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Genetic Counselors’ Religiosity & Spirituality: Are Genetic Counselors Different from the General Population?

Cragun

Woltanski

Myers

et al. 2009

Self Cite

Although there is evidence that the religious beliefs of genetic counselors (GCs) can induce internal conflict in at least some genetic counseling scenarios, empirical research on the religiosity of GCs is limited. This study compares genetic counselors to a representative sample of the adult U.S. population on multiple religiosity measures. After controlling for several sociodemographic factors the percentage of GCs who report having a religious affiliation is similar to the general U.S., but GCs are less likely to affiliate with conservative Christian religions and are more likely to be Jewish. GCs are significantly less likely than the general U.S. population to: believe in god, attend religious services, pray, and believe in an afterlife even after controlling for relevant sociodemographic factors. Despite the lower levels of religiosity, a majority of GCs do report themselves to be moderately to highly spiritual. We explore potential reasons for religiosity differences as well as possible implications in the context of the GC scope of practice.

Conscience clauses in genetic counseling: Awareness and attitudes

Bonine

Bell

Fishler

et al. 2021

Conscience clauses are laws that allow healthcare providers to refuse to participate in legal medical services based on moral or ethical objections. Genetic counselors encounter a variety of ethical and moral issues, including counseling about abortions. Currently, three states (Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Virginia) have genetic counseling conscience clause laws that allow genetic counselors to refuse to counsel about abortions. Conscience clause laws applying to physicians and pharmacists have been studied; however, they have not been studied in genetic counseling to date. We conducted an exploratory study assessing conscience clause awareness, attitudes, perceived obligations if utilizing a conscience clause, and alignment with the National Society of Genetic Counseling (NSGC) Code of Ethics. Genetic counselors (n = 274) currently practicing in the United States completed an online survey recruited through the NSGC listserv. The majority of participants were not aware that conscience clauses exist for genetic counseling (90%). There was uncertainty about whether genetic counselors had the right to utilize a conscience clause in practice (24% said yes, 31% said no, and 45% were unsure/needed more information). The majority reported an obligation to refer a patient if implementing a conscience clause (90%), although there were discrepancies among what constitutes an appropriate referral. When asked about the interaction between conscience clauses and the NSGC Code of Ethics, 45% believe they are separate and one does not supersede the other, 31% felt the Code of Ethics supersedes, 8% felt conscience clauses supersede, and 16% were unsure. Our study shows overall uncertainty with how conscience clause laws may be applied in clinical practice. Further clarity and education, especially in states where these laws exist, is critical to navigate the interaction between conscience clause laws and genetic counseling practice.