Why Christians Should Be Against The IVF Process:
The practice of in vitro fertilization (IVF) raises intense moral, spiritual, and ethical concerns for many people, especially those who believe that life begins at conception and that the creation of human life is sacred.
The Christian stance is that sex is a God-given act, sanctified to join married couples and create new life. In that sense, the union of marriage is not purely physical but deeply spiritual, and the child conceived through that act is a gift from God. Once artificial methods replace this God-given process of conception, we can say that it interferes with the order God prescribed and degrades the special nature of both sex and the giving of life. Utilizing reproductive technologies apart from the marital act severs procreation from its spiritual roots.
The more disturbing facts surrounding IVF are that it regularly disposes of unwanted embryos. In most cases, several embryos are created out of the laboratory, but only a few are actually chosen for implantation; the rest, while technically human lives-again, assuming one is convinced that human life begins at conception-are frozen indefinitely, discarded, or donated for whatever research purposes may arise. This sort of treatment of human embryos truly resembles casual disposal, as one would dispose of anything no more important than trash, and hence reflects a serious lack of regard for the dignity of human life.
Genetic testing in the setting of IVF also brings a host of additional moral issues. Embryos are tested not only for their gender but also for such potential disabilities as autism or Down syndrome. These tests are not always correct, and there have been instances when embryos that were forecasted to have certain genetic conditions were born perfectly healthy. Such practices can encourage parents to "pick and choose" which children are worthy of life, treating human beings like products that can be ordered to specifications. This would go directly in contrast to every child being a different creation from God, having dignity and a purpose despite certain perceived imperfections.
Even the methods of sperm collection for IVF are unbiblical. While other means are available, most men have to get the sample through masturbation, usually by viewing pornography, provided often by the clinic itself. To those who adhere to religious teachings condemning lust and pornography as sinful, this process goes in direct contradiction to God's word. The creation of life, which should be a holy act, becomes intertwined with actions that are regarded as spiritually detrimental.
Surrogacy, often coupled with IVF, adds another layer of moral complexity. It abstracts from the biological mother that intimate, transformative experience which is pregnancy and severs the physical bond that naturally develops between mother and child during gestation. Public figures like Khloe Kardashian have spoken candidly about emotional distance and difficulty one may feel when using a surrogate-a sense of detachment, and even sorrow, at not experiencing the closeness of carrying a child. This separation brings up significant questions regarding maternal bonding and the emotional and spiritual implications of outsourcing pregnancy in ways previous generations never imagined.
In light of these issues, critics of IVF and surrogacy argue that these practices challenge not only ethical but also deeply held religious beliefs about life, sexuality, and the divine purpose for creation. Many pursue IVF with a sincere desire to build a family, and this cannot be denied. The broader moral implications, however, cannot remain unaddressed. For those holding life and conception as sacred gifts from God, artificial manipulation, selection, and destruction of embryos, and practices accompanying these, represent a deviation from the natural and holy design of human reproduction.
Editor’s Note:
As I edited this article, I viewed a YouTube video presentation by Isabel Brown on a new form of IVF treatment entitled "IVF Plus" by a company called Nucleus Genomics. According to their presentation, IVF Plus is different from traditional IVF because parents are allowed, in a sense, to "design" their future child.
The process starts with a $500 cheek swab from each partner. Samples are then sent to a lab where genetic data are analyzed for potential mutations, disease risks, and numerous other heritable traits. Once the IVF procedure is pursued, prospective parents are then presented with multiple embryos-usually about five-each accompanied by a list of projected "pros" and "cons". These can include everything from eye color to hair color, estimated IQ, and a host of predicted medical risks, including some cancers.
This is a highly troubling practice. It is arbitrary, unbiblical, and a subtle form of modern eugenics. The corporation is openly marketing this notion, advertising on NYC subways with slogans like "Have your best baby," and branding their website with language like "Pick your baby."
I encourage you to look at their website for yourself and be aware of how deeply such practices contradict Christian values and respect for God's design. Equally, a number of embryologists and medical professionals have voiced concerns already, underlining the fact that such genetic predictions are far from 100% accurate.
Keep researching this topic and be watchful but wary regarding this new genetic "customization" trend within reproductive technology.
The sources used for citations:
https://www.thebump.com/news/khloe-kardashian-surrogacy
https://youtu.be/_l2Z12OcAzQ?si=beAP0R7mcdktVRHl
https://fertility.womenandinfants.org/treatment/preimplantation-genetic-testing
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5952654/
https://youtu.be/nXRORzqVtTY?si=-e5JVW8Mnh5D0BX1 (The Youtube video mentioned in the editor’s note)
