Religious opposition to donor conception spans multiple faith traditions in Ghana
Religious and cultural perspectives on assisted reproductive technology in Ghana: A comparative analysis of traditionalist, islamic, and christian beliefs.
Asante-Afari, K. (2025). Religious and cultural perspectives on assisted reproductive technology in Ghana: A comparative analysis of traditionalist, islamic, and christian beliefs. PLOS Global Public Health, 5(9), e0005240. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0005240
Geographic Region: Ghana
Research Question: How do religious leaders and members of Ghana’s three main faith traditions (Christianity, Islam, and Traditional religion) interpret and perceive the acceptability of assisted reproductive technology practices, including gamete donation, surrogacy, and cryopreservation?
Design: Qualitative study employed semi-structured in-depth interviews and focus group discussions to explore religious and cultural perspectives on ART practices in Ghana. Data collection occurred from March to August 2017. The researchers conducted six individual in-depth interviews with key religious figures and five focus group discussions with 24 community members (separated by gender, with two male groups and three female groups containing either 5 or 7 participants each). Interviews and discussions were conducted in both English and Twi (a local Akan dialect) to promote inclusivity, with each session lasting approximately 50 minutes.
Sample: 30 participants purposively from Christian, Islamic, and Traditional religious backgrounds in Accra, Ghana. The Christian group comprised 14 participants (7 males, 7 females), including 5 religious leaders and 9 members representing Orthodox churches (Presbyterian, Methodist, Anglican), Pentecostal/Charismatic churches (Church of Pentecost, Assemblies of God, Lighthouse Chapel International), and Roman Catholic Church. The Islamic group included 10 participants (4 males, 5 females), featuring a representative of the National Chief Imam of Ghana and 9 practicing Muslims. The Traditional Religion group consisted of 6 participants (3 males, 3 females). All participants were aged 18-50 years, with half (15) in the 30-39 age range. Educational levels varied: 4 had no formal education, 8 completed JHS/Middle school, 12 had secondary education, and 6 held tertiary degrees.
Key Findings
Islamic and Christian leaders emphasized prayer as the primary treatment for infertility, viewing childbearing as a divine gift from God requiring spiritual intervention. Some participants advocated combining prayers with medical treatments (orthodox or traditional medicine) rather than relying on prayer alone.
Traditionalists favored herbal remedies and traditional medications, believing children born through these means are strong and healthy. Traditional faith followers may use amulets, fertility symbols, fertility fetishes, charms, rituals, or special herbal preparations to address infertility.
Most Christian denominations (excluding Roman Catholic) and Islamic leaders accepted ART when couples use their own reproductive resources (sperm and egg), viewing it as permissible medical assistance for married couples.
All three religious traditions unanimously opposed gamete donation, citing serious social, ethical, psychological, and spiritual consequences from using third-party reproductive resources.
One Christian woman expressed willingness to defy religious prohibition: “For me, as a woman, I will accept gamete donation if it is the only means that will help me to have a child... if my church is against this act, I will simply stop going to that church so that I can have my children through the use of donor services.”
All religious groups rejected surrogacy based on beliefs about maternal bonding and divine processes.
Christian and Islamic leaders conditionally accepted cryopreservation only for married couples’ own gametes, with use restricted to while both spouses are alive and married. Both traditions rejected use of cryopreserved gametes after death or divorce. Traditionalists rejected cryopreservation entirely as inappropriate and impossible.
Limitations: The study included only participants with previous knowledge of or experience with ART, excluding perspectives of those unfamiliar with these technologies who may constitute a significant portion of the population. The Traditional religion group (6 participants) was notably smaller than Christian (14) and Islamic (10) groups, potentially underrepresenting Traditionalist perspectives despite their importance in Ghanaian society.
Applications: Couples may need to navigate conflicts between religious teachings and fertility treatment options, potentially requiring counseling that integrates both spiritual and medical perspectives. The findings suggest parents using donor gametes may face religious pressure to maintain secrecy about their children’s origins, which conflicts with research supporting early disclosure. Counseling approaches could integrate religious and spiritual perspectives while helping patients navigate conflicts between faith teachings and reproductive needs.
Funding Source: The author received no specific funding for this work.
Lead Author: Kwadwo Asante-Afari works in the Health Promotion Division of the Ghana Health Service in Accra, Ghana. The author did not disclose any connection to donor conception.
Regulatory Context: Ghana currently lacks specific legislation regulating donor conception and assisted reproductive technology practices.
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