E107: The Spiritual Domain of Family Planning

Family planning decisions are never purely medical—they are shaped by belief systems, moral frameworks, cultural traditions, and deeply personal values. Questions about contraception, fertility treatment, and pregnancy care intersect with faith in ways that are both grounding and complicated.

In the spiritual domain of family planning, Kirtly Jones, MD, and Katie Ward, PhD, are joined by Margaret Battin, PhD, distinguished professor of philosophy and medical ethicist, to examine where personal belief meets professional responsibility. They explore how clinicians honor their own moral compass while fulfilling obligations to patients, how religious teachings can both guide and constrain reproductive choices, and how individuals reconcile faith with lived reality.