Aznar and Cerda note that although a high percentage of physicians believe that pregnancy begins at conception, many fewer oppose interventions that may act by preventing implantation of the embryo. They conclude, “religious beliefs do not seem to have an influence on their recommendation; they will probably have even less influence on the ‘theoretical’ issues such as whether gestation begins at fertilization or implantation.”

Our data suggest that the opposite is true: physicians’ opinions about the ethics of abortion, the intrauterine device, emergency contraception, and assisted reproduction are significantly associated with physicians’ religious characteristics. Yet, many obstetrician-gynecologists who indicated that they have moral objections to these interventions also indicated that they would provide them if a patient requested.

It would seem that there has been a shift, particularly in the field of obstetrics and gynecology, toward providing nondirective counsel to patients and accommodating patient requests, even for interventions to which the physician objects. Whether this shift is good for obstetrics and gynecology is a question worthy of further debate.