The nexus of fertility and politics: exploring the influence of social tolerance, religiosity, and political conservatism on the acceptance of assisted reproduction in Spain.

This article examines how individual religious orientation, social tolerance, and political conservatism influence the acceptance of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) among Spanish citizens. Using 2021 cross-sectional data from the Europe Values Study and World Values Survey with 1,030 Spanish respondents, the study finds that higher social tolerance and lower religiosity predict greater acceptance of ART, particularly in cases of infertility and genetic risk. Political conservatism mediates the relationship between social tolerance and ART acceptance, especially among left-leaning individuals, with conservatism and religiosity jointly associated with lower support for ART. The study highlights gender and parental status as additional factors influencing acceptance and notes that attitudes toward ART for sex selection differ from other scenarios. Limitations include the cross-sectional design, reliance on self-reported data, and a sample predominantly Catholic, which may affect generalizability.