Catholic Church Teachings On IVF (Invitro Fertilization)

IVF (Invitro Fertilization)

During these days, infertility is common and statistics show that 10 out of 100 have infertility. To deal with Infertility, most of the people go for lots of treatments and the last and popular, final treatment left is IVF (Invitro Fertilization). But are we aware of what is done during IVF and what Catholic Church says about the same. Is there any justification in getting pregnant that way? Why is Catholics against IVF treatment?

IVF- how it is done?

IVF, the latest technology in reproduction had been found out on 25^th July 1978. The sperm from the father and egg from the mother is taken in a glass tube. Within 12-18 hours zygote is formed and later it is allowed to grow for 48-72 hours. The baby developed in test tube is then placed inside the uterus of the mother. Within 10-14 days, if the method is success, the same can be confirmed using a blood test. Sometimes, more than one zygote is placed inside the uterus, to confirm the success. Hence, for one pregnancy to be success, more than one zygote is created. If the first attempt is a success, the other zygotes are either destroyed or kept safe for the medical application, of that baby itself.

Artificial Insemination is done inside a mother’s body while, IVF is done inside a test tube. In this method, both sperm and egg of the husband and wife is accepted (Homologious IVF) or sperm of husband or some other man with egg of wife or some other women is accepted/used (Hetrologious IVF). At another stage, if the uterus of wife is not strong enough, uterus of an another women is rented for the purpose (Surrogative method)

Economical Side:

Minimum 1 lakh Indian Rupee is the cost for the same in India and hence it is nowhere at the reach of ordinary people. The yearly income of Indian Assisted Reproductive Technology clinics is India, which is only below 300 is 25 Million Indian Rupee or above, will show the trend of IVF and other reproductive techniques. In India, no law is there to control the working of Sperm Banks and Zygote Banks. Hence lots of immoral activities are going on based on the same and there is nobody to protect the rights of partners, who comes for these type of treatments.

Church Teachings

What Church Says?

While many of the people accept the same as a boon and treatment method, the Catholic Church teaching has clear cut idea, about their decision on this. According to Catholic Church, these types of reproductive treatments are a BIG wrong. The target of marriage is to be one in the process of Love and reproduction, and hence doing the reproductive mechanism by a third party, separately is not acceptable.

In IVF, more than one Zygote is created for the success of one pregnancy and later the rest of the zygotes are either destroyed or is kept safely for the medical use of the original zygote/baby. This is really against the life, says John Paul II Mar Papa. These are further used for the cure of diseases, to make tissues etc. Playing with the life of innocent babies (Zygotes), even if for the good of others, is not acceptable.

What is the solution suggested?

Need for child, cannot be seen as Rights to have child. To get a child through, any way is not acceptable for the church. Child is not our need, but it is a gift from GOD. To have one child, how could one sacrifice, several others, it is really cruelty if thought of. Infertility has to be treated using normal medical applications and even if no results, then the partners should find out the real meaning of their life. May be God has another great project in his mind, say adoption, or services in field of educational area, helping poor people or those with disabilities are suggested for such partners.