Assisted Reproductive Techniques and Catholicism(s) in the US

Abstract

Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART s) have proposed a new way of understanding notions of sexuality, reproduction, gestation, and family, and these transformations have arguably been a challenge in the religious field. This study aims to analyze the stances taken within the Catholic spectrum in the United States on ART s. Catholicism in the United States is an internally heterogeneous space, and different agents have taken diverse stances on ART s, with an impact on health care regulations, Catholic facilities administrations, and Catholics’ and non-Catholics’ reproductive rights. Drawing from a qualitative, interpretive, and documentary analysis of three organizations (the US Conference of catholic bishops, the Catholic Health Organization, and Catholics for Choice), this article proposes some guidelines to analyze and understand the arguments and strategies of various Catholics actors in the United States regarding reproductive healthcare and ART s in the United States.