Thank you for this. A few years ago, there were very few resources about the morality of IVF. Now, Emily (thanks, for writing!) on Substack has written about IVF extensively and Word on Fire has also published a great review on IVF. This topic needs to be addressed widely. IVF is affecting more and more families. I’m glad you are discussing this. It’s a tough and personal topic and so important because it is about the sanctity of human life. How are the parents treated and how are the babies treated during the process? Embryo grading. Which embryos are graded as worthy of immediate transfer? Which embryos are graded as worthy of freezing for trying to transfer later? And in cases, embryos discarded. What about embryo storage? Parents pay this fee. Some parents say they aren’t up for another child or financially decide not to pay the fee and those embryos are discarded. A big topic. Thank you for your courage. And thank you for addressing the mystery of God’s providence in all of this.
Follow up questions: Morality of frozen IVF embryo adoption? Morality of embryo freezing to be transferred at an undefined later time? How to educate more Catholics about this?
For children conceived in IVF. They can be conceived on one date, frozen, and then years later be transferred for implantation (pregnancy). How would a child handle knowing they were conceived many years before they were given the opportunity to grow in their mother’s or another woman’s womb (in case of surrogacy)? What does the Church teach about IVF embryo treatment after the embryos have been created? Should Catholics adopt IVF embryos?
Thank you, again, Cassandra. I was able to read this section and did find it helpful. I’ve been confused because within our family of parishes, I’ve heard of families adopting IVF embryos (frozen, cryopreserved) and this being generally accepted. This section helped explain that yes, even embryo adoption (although it seems this would be good), is actually still illicit. There are so many downstream considerations to the respect for human life with IVF. It seems that there needs to be discussions on IVF within parishes. Many do not know what IVF entails and (myself included - this article is helpful in outlining the nuances involved and subsequent ethics) the numerous considerations for human life that need to be made if someone is to cooperate with the IVF process in any way. I included the part of section 19 below that touches on embryo adoption.
“The proposal that these embryos could be put at the disposal of infertile couples as a treatment for infertility is not ethically acceptable for the same reasons which make artificial heterologous procreation illicit as well as any form of surrogate motherhood; [38] this practice would also lead to other problems of a medical, psychological and legal nature.
It has also been proposed, solely in order to allow human beings to be born who are otherwise condemned to destruction, that there could be a form of “prenatal adoption”. This proposal, praiseworthy with regard to the intention of respecting and defending human life, presents however various problems not dissimilar to those mentioned above.
All things considered, it needs to be recognized that the thousands of abandoned embryos represent a situation of injustice which in fact cannot be resolved. Therefore John Paul II made an “appeal to the conscience of the world’s scientific authorities and in particular to doctors, that the production of human embryos be halted, taking into account that there seems to be no morally licit solution regarding the human destiny of the thousands and thousands of ‘frozen’ embryos which are and remain the subjects of essential rights and should therefore be protected by law as human persons”.”
I have some of these same questions. I have an acquaintance from our parish who has adopted four frozen embryos, on two occasions, which has resulted in one living child for her and her husband. This little girl was frozen as an embryo for 19 years. This woman’s journey has been very painful, but I wonder how she would even begin to explain to explain to her daughter at some point how she was created, frozen for so long, and then adopted.
On the one hand, it seems more respectful of the dignity of the person for the frozen embryos to be adopted and then given the possibility of being born; but on the other hand, it is still violating other rights the child has. It’s all very complicated. I would love to hear more from the Church about how to think about this part of fertility treatments; IVF is very clear to me, but this seems more difficult.
Thank you all for modeling how to have a thoughtful, sensitive conversation about very difficult and personal topics while still being faithful to the Church. In particular, Emily, thank you for sharing your story; I’ve read what you’ve written on some of these topics before, but it’s a little different hearing you talk about them.
My sister-in-law and brother-in-law have not been able to have biological children and have adopted two beautiful girls. My sister-in-law is a convert to Catholicism; her family are non-practicing Methodists, very occasionally going to church on Christmas or Easter. Her family had a very hard time with their pursuing adoption and has not been very supportive. They wanted to know why they didn’t want to have “their own” children and why they didn’t want to try IVF. I think that has been very painful for her, as they have very different fundamental beliefs about these issues.
Thank you for this. A few years ago, there were very few resources about the morality of IVF. Now, Emily (thanks, for writing!) on Substack has written about IVF extensively and Word on Fire has also published a great review on IVF. This topic needs to be addressed widely. IVF is affecting more and more families. I’m glad you are discussing this. It’s a tough and personal topic and so important because it is about the sanctity of human life. How are the parents treated and how are the babies treated during the process? Embryo grading. Which embryos are graded as worthy of immediate transfer? Which embryos are graded as worthy of freezing for trying to transfer later? And in cases, embryos discarded. What about embryo storage? Parents pay this fee. Some parents say they aren’t up for another child or financially decide not to pay the fee and those embryos are discarded. A big topic. Thank you for your courage. And thank you for addressing the mystery of God’s providence in all of this.
Follow up questions: Morality of frozen IVF embryo adoption? Morality of embryo freezing to be transferred at an undefined later time? How to educate more Catholics about this?
For children conceived in IVF. They can be conceived on one date, frozen, and then years later be transferred for implantation (pregnancy). How would a child handle knowing they were conceived many years before they were given the opportunity to grow in their mother’s or another woman’s womb (in case of surrogacy)? What does the Church teach about IVF embryo treatment after the embryos have been created? Should Catholics adopt IVF embryos?
The Church addresses embryo transfer in Dignitatis Personae, specifically #19, if that’s helpful!
Thank you, again, Cassandra. I was able to read this section and did find it helpful. I’ve been confused because within our family of parishes, I’ve heard of families adopting IVF embryos (frozen, cryopreserved) and this being generally accepted. This section helped explain that yes, even embryo adoption (although it seems this would be good), is actually still illicit. There are so many downstream considerations to the respect for human life with IVF. It seems that there needs to be discussions on IVF within parishes. Many do not know what IVF entails and (myself included - this article is helpful in outlining the nuances involved and subsequent ethics) the numerous considerations for human life that need to be made if someone is to cooperate with the IVF process in any way. I included the part of section 19 below that touches on embryo adoption.
“The proposal that these embryos could be put at the disposal of infertile couples as a treatment for infertility is not ethically acceptable for the same reasons which make artificial heterologous procreation illicit as well as any form of surrogate motherhood; [38] this practice would also lead to other problems of a medical, psychological and legal nature.
It has also been proposed, solely in order to allow human beings to be born who are otherwise condemned to destruction, that there could be a form of “prenatal adoption”. This proposal, praiseworthy with regard to the intention of respecting and defending human life, presents however various problems not dissimilar to those mentioned above.
All things considered, it needs to be recognized that the thousands of abandoned embryos represent a situation of injustice which in fact cannot be resolved. Therefore John Paul II made an “appeal to the conscience of the world’s scientific authorities and in particular to doctors, that the production of human embryos be halted, taking into account that there seems to be no morally licit solution regarding the human destiny of the thousands and thousands of ‘frozen’ embryos which are and remain the subjects of essential rights and should therefore be protected by law as human persons”.”
That is very helpful, thanks!
I will look this up! Thank you!
I have some of these same questions. I have an acquaintance from our parish who has adopted four frozen embryos, on two occasions, which has resulted in one living child for her and her husband. This little girl was frozen as an embryo for 19 years. This woman’s journey has been very painful, but I wonder how she would even begin to explain to explain to her daughter at some point how she was created, frozen for so long, and then adopted.
On the one hand, it seems more respectful of the dignity of the person for the frozen embryos to be adopted and then given the possibility of being born; but on the other hand, it is still violating other rights the child has. It’s all very complicated. I would love to hear more from the Church about how to think about this part of fertility treatments; IVF is very clear to me, but this seems more difficult.
Thank you all for modeling how to have a thoughtful, sensitive conversation about very difficult and personal topics while still being faithful to the Church. In particular, Emily, thank you for sharing your story; I’ve read what you’ve written on some of these topics before, but it’s a little different hearing you talk about them.
My sister-in-law and brother-in-law have not been able to have biological children and have adopted two beautiful girls. My sister-in-law is a convert to Catholicism; her family are non-practicing Methodists, very occasionally going to church on Christmas or Easter. Her family had a very hard time with their pursuing adoption and has not been very supportive. They wanted to know why they didn’t want to have “their own” children and why they didn’t want to try IVF. I think that has been very painful for her, as they have very different fundamental beliefs about these issues.