Young Muslims’ responses to conception through in-vitro fertilization

Abstract

This article discusses the response of Muslim youth to the conception of a child through in-vitro fertilization. The pros and cons among young Muslims were carefully evaluated. Data that were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and document reviews constitutes the basis of this article. Questionnaires consisted of two types of questions: close-ended multiple-choice questions and open-ended narrative questions. Documents analyzed, meanwhile, included the legislative and fatwa products of the Indonesian Council of Ulamas as well as the decisions of the Tarjih Council of Muhammadiyah Central Leadership. This research found that the majority of respondents (85.7%) approved of the usage of in-vitro fertilization by legally married couples. Similarly, most respondents (73.7%) indicated that the use of in-vitro fertilization for conception, so long as it is conducted following applicable standards, did not violate any legal or ethical guidelines. This article emphasizes that young Muslims have diverse knowledge of in-vitro fertilization, which may be attributed to their particular fields of study. This research solely involved young Muslims. As such, future studies should use a broader sample, involving youths of diverse religious backgrounds, to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the issue.

Keywords

• Muslims response
• in-vitro fertilization
• child conception
• young Muslims
• religious ethics