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Who Deserves to Reproduce? Latvian State Support for Infertility and Moral Considerations

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  • Diāna Kiščenko

    (Faculty of Social Sciences, Rīga Stradiņš University, Latvia)

Abstract

This article examines how access to state‐funded infertility treatment in Latvia is regulated and morally framed. The analysis draws on state regulatory documents concerning sexual and reproductive health in Latvia, as well as six semi‐structured interviews with Latvian politicians and reproductive health specialists. The findings reveal that eligibility for treatment is not based solely on biomedical criteria but is also shaped by normative assumptions about gender roles and moral worth. A dominant heteronormative framework positions women as central to reproduction, while men are often marginalised or excluded from state support. Furthermore, infertility treatment is described as a form of economic investment by the state, with an implicit expectation of demographic return. Importantly, reproductive health specialists and politicians do not present reproduction as a neutral or purely biological process, but rather frame it in moral terms, suggesting that there are specific, morally acceptable forms of reproduction.

Suggested Citation

  • Diāna Kiščenko, 2025. "Who Deserves to Reproduce? Latvian State Support for Infertility and Moral Considerations," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 13.
  • Handle: RePEc:cog:socinc:v13:y:2025:a:10403
    DOI: 10.17645/si.10403
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dunn, Andrea L. & Stafinski, Tania & Menon, Devidas, 2014. "An international survey of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) policies and the effects of these policies on costs, utilization, and health outcomes," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 116(2), pages 238-263.
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