Articles, Spanish | September 4, 2024 | by Catholics for Catholics
After my tweet in Spanish about in vitro fertilization and Donald Trump’s position on it, many Catholics have asked me why it is a serious sin to resort to this method if the end is good: Having children.
Wanting to have children is very good and although the intention is noble, the end for the realization of that desire (sometimes frustrated by infertility) does not justify the means.
I have seen up close the pain of many couples who cannot conceive, and I feel a lot of compassion for them…it is a very big cross that can lead marriages to holiness or despair.
“CONCEIVED BY SCIENCE”
Many Christians are unaware of what the artificial method of in vitro fertilization entails and that is why they resort to it, defend it, or eagerly promote it. Stephanie Gray, a pro-life activist and author of the book “Conceived by Science” explains what IVF really is.
“In vitro” means “in glass” where the baby is conceived by joining the woman’s egg and the man’s sperm in a petri dish at a laboratory. Behind this, there is a multibillion-dollar industry and an entire unethical and immoral process:
- IVF de facto destroys the sacredness of the sexual act, designed for natural procreation and the unity of spouses.
- IVF clinics charge thousands of dollars to infertile couples. This method has a high failure rate.
- Many infertile women (especially over 40 years old) have consumed birth control pills for many years that repressed and destroyed their fertility. A sad reality that Big Pharma and the fertility industry hide to create life-long customers.
- Most IVF clinics offer pornography for men to masturbate in the clinic to obtain the semen samples necessary for the procedure.
- Women have mature eggs removed from their ovaries, which are eventually harvested and fertilized with the sperm of their husband (or current partner).
- Usually, the problem of infertility is carried by one of the two (wife or husband), which leads some hopeless couples to opt for acquiring eggs or sperm from unknown donors…
- To increase the “success of the treatment,” at least 8 eggs are fertilized and become embryos (human beings) to be implanted in the woman’s uterus 2-by-2 until pregnancy is achieved (in case it succeeds).
- The embryos that are implanted in the uterus go through a selection process (the evil of eugenics is present here). The most genetically outstanding embryos are chosen. The others are immediately destroyed (killed) or frozen.
- If the woman achieves pregnancy in the first or second implantation, the rest of the embryos (babies) are discarded (killed) at the request of the parents or are used for scientific experiments (buying and selling) or are frozen (ONLY if the parents pay for the storage).
- Many couples complain because more than one embryo was implanted, which sometimes causes multiple children in a single pregnancy. Sometimes, the “wrong” embryo is planted – which causes the abortion of the baby…
- It is estimated that there are more than ONE MILLION frozen babies in the U.S. alone.
- In addition to what Gray exposes, it’s worth to note that divorce rate is increasing in the USA, which means that aprox. 40-50% of couples who undergo
- IVF will probably end in divorce and therefore the fate of frozen babies depends on the father or mother who claims them, otherwise the babies end up being nobody’s children…
- Finally, IVF has opened the doors to human trafficking (buying and selling of babies) through surrogacy – a method now commonly used by homosexual couples.
As we can see, IVF is not as beautiful as it is made out to be. Again, although the end is noble, the means do not justify such an aberration. When humanity wants to be like God, it ends up self-destructing.
It is important that people inform themselves, read the Catechism (2377) so that they understand that the Church does not invent rules to bother people but to protect the dignity of human beings, care for sacredness of life and to seek the salvation of souls.
It is also important for couples struggling to conceive to know that there is ethical and more natural help to assist them with their fertility needs: NaPro Technology is a clear example. In addition, remember that adoption is always a noble and generous option.
“Everything is permitted to me, but not everything suits me. Everything is permitted to me, but I will not become a slave to anything.” 1 Cor. 6, 12. Let us always keep in mind that children are not a right, but a gift from God, the author of life.
PS: If you are Catholic and have resorted to this type of procedure due to lack of knowledge but now you understand the seriousness of this issue, seek God’s mercy in the sacrament of confession. Ask God for His forgiveness, healing and blessing for you and your family. The Lord is infinite in mercy. Trust in Him.
Original post in Spanish >
Veronica Flamenco
CforC Contributor
