There seems to be an epidemic of ignorance when it comes to In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). Many people, especially so-called (“Pro-Life”) politicians, also espouse the benefits of IVF, saying that it is yet another legitimate method to “promote life” in our culture, and a valuable tool to combat infertility.

Recent examples abound. The Republican response to the latest State of the Union was given by Alabama Senator Katie Britt. She talked at length about family values and the sanctity of human life. Then the end of her talk spoke of the need for government support for IVF. This was portrayed as yet another strong Pro-Life statement that she thought to be very consistent with her prior pronouncements.

On March 26^th, a local Indianapolis news station covered a debate featuring four Republican candidates for Indiana Governor in the 2024 election. One of the moderators posed the following question: “Do you believe a fetus is a human being?” One by one, each candidate avoided directly answering the question, but quickly explained how strong his/her Pro-Life beliefs and credentials were. They all followed with their support of government support (insurance coverage) for IVF, portraying this as perfectly compatible with the Pro-Life views. This included Mike Braun, a frontrunner who claims to be a Pro-Life Catholic.

So why is IVF never an acceptable approach to infertility? What exactly is IVF? It is a medical technique, now very widespread, whereby the sperm and egg of two individuals are brought together in a laboratory dish to form a human embryo, and almost always multiple embryos.

This is an entirely artificial process. The woman is typically given fertility drugs to promote the production of multiple eggs. The man’s sperm is then introduced to those eggs to conceive multiple embryos.

Are these artificially produced embryos human beings? Most assuredly, they are! Science and the Catholic Church have shown that human life starts at conception, when a new human being with DNA different from the parents comes into being.

So how are these embryos manipulated, once formed? A selection process takes place where the most viable embryo is selected and placed into a woman’s uterus for gestation. The producers of the egg and sperm may or not be married to each other, and the woman who gives birth may or may not be the mother.

What happens to the other embryos? Many are destroyed purposefully or by accident and others are frozen to await an uncertain future. Over 90% of the embryos generated through IVF do not survive. Many thousands of embryos have suffered this fate.

Sometimes multiple embryos are implanted in a woman. Then, through a process called Selective Reduction, the less viable or desirable embryos are destroyed by a lethal means of abortion.

There are many moral concerns with this whole process as stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and Donum Vitae, the 1987 document from the Sacred Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith.

They include:

• Killing of innocent human beings
• Violating the Catholic principle that the marital act must not separate the unitive and procreative aspects
• Immoral means of obtaining the eggs and sperm
• In many cases, infringing on the rights of children to be born of a mother and a father.

• The high cost of the technique as in the tens of thousands of dollars for each attempt, many of which fail, This money would be better spent in support of adoption services and licit means of treating infertility.
• The process strips the conception process of the dignity intended by God in the love of a husband and wife and turns into a technological process.
• The process is frequently used by same sex couples to produce children deprived of being raised according to God’s plan for the family.
• The technique often produces children with physical defects and mental issues brought on when they discover the truth of their origin.

Yet, ignorance abounds regarding the immorality of this technique, even among Catholics. The popularity of this procedure seems to be related to the problems with today’s culture. Many people want quick gratification and think that having a baby born of them as a “right”. They lose sight of the fact that God is the Author of Life, and a child is a gift, not an entitlement of our consumer culture.

For this reason, Catholics should practice the Spiritual Work of Mercy “To Instruct the Ignorant”. Speak boldly on this topic to family and friends, especially those who may be considering this procedure. We all need to do our part to build a true Culture of Life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

MICHAEL HICHBORN, FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF LEPANTO INSTITUTE

Michael Hichborn, founder and president of the Lepanto Institute, is a well known public figure in the pro-life movement. Michael spent seven and a half years as American Life League’s Director of the Defend the Faith project. In this capacity, Michael has researched and produced an annual report on organizations receiving grant money from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. This annual report, exposing dozens of grantees that are promoting abortion, birth control, homosexuality and Marxism, has led to a nation-wide review of the CCHD and a tightening of its guidelines. Michael has also conducted research on Catholic hospital systems that are involved in the performance of abortions and sterilizations; he wrote a detailed report on abortion and contraception-providing organizations receiving money from Catholic Relief Services; and produced a detailed report on Obamacare and its danger to women, preborn babies and the elderly.

Michael holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Christendom College in Political Science and Economics and a Master’s degree in Education from American Intercontinental University.

In 2017, Michael became a member of the John Paul II Academy for Human Life and the Family.  Michael lives in Virginia with his wife, Alyssa, and their seven children.