Most of us have experienced knowing a couple who after going through months, perhaps years of being unable to conceive a child desperately turn to the new technology of In-Vitro fertilization. For those who have had a successful outcome the joy is infectious for we cannot resist the celebrating of the arrival of a new and precious life for it's as if God is entering the world again in the flesh of this beautiful creation. Yet, in the shadow of his blessed event lies the rest of the picture, and I speak here of the little known and understood ethical aspects of this procedure and why, at closer examination it should be considered immoral.
Immediately this statement might cause us to ask, "How could something that has such a desirable and life-giving end be considered immoral?" And within the question itself lies the answer for in the realm of traditional moral reasoning a guiding principle has always been: The end can never justify the means. So now we question, "What is so wrong with the means?"
The exploration of this issue was put forth by Dr. John Haas, President of the National Catholic Bioethics Center in a May l0, l998 publication in the National Catholic Register based on the teachings of Donum Vitae, a document issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith in l987. In his presentation, he summarizes Donum Vitae as saying that, "if an intervention assists the marriage act to attain its natural end, it is considered moral, however, if it replaces the marriage act then it is held immoral." Unfortunately, the In -Vitro procedure completely eliminates the marriage act and brings about its results through the unnatural means of aspirating eggs from a woman's ovaries, placing them in a laboratory dish and allowing fertilization to take place through purely mechanical means. Further adding to the disordered nature of this procedure, the sperm needed to fertilize the aspirated eggs must be obtained through the action of masturbation, a behavior considered immoral and degrading to the human person. So now we can begin to see that the normal marital act of love, designed by God from all eternity is being replaced by a procedure that manufactures babies rather than engendering them.
While achieving conception apart from the natural marital act is the primary opposition, to IVF there are also other grave reasons for opposition to this procedure. One such reason is the practice of destroying any fertilized eggs (which are embryonic human beings now) that fail to measure up to the criteria demanded by the physician which would insure their surviving the rigors of implantation. Also, if any implanted embryos later manifest signs of possible birth defects, they too are eliminated by injecting potassium chloride into the chest cavity of the child thereby snuffing out another viable life.
Dr. Haas also notes that In-Vitro can employ the practice of using donor eggs from another woman, fertilizing them with the sperm of the non-spouse husband and then implanting them into the womb of the infertile mother. The psychological ramifications alone of such choices are myriad, not to mention the attack being made on the rights of the child to be conceived by its own natural parents instead of a battery of individuals who primarily have their own satisfaction in mind, not that of the child.
Especially noteworthy is the sensitivity Dr. Haas demonstrates towards the many Catholics and other sincere minded people who have already availed themselves of IVF technology uninformed of the ramifications of their choice and because of their ignorance they cannot be held accountable for their actions nor can the children conceived through this procedure be viewed other than worthy of all dignity and love. But because of the gravity of this practice it is incumbent upon all of us to become more knowledgeable of the truth. Indifference and apathy always provide the fertile ground in which horrible abuses against the dignity of human life take seed and flourish.
While we have only dealt with the spiritual disordering of In-Vitro, it is interesting to note that recent studies are now bearing out the physical dangers inherent in reproductive technologies. A recent article appearing in the Seattle P.I. (2/2003) written by Rebecca Skloot, Life Science Editor at Popular Science Magazine, revealed that current studies are showing infertility treatments may carry potentially fatal risks. Specifically, IVF and Intercytoplasmic Sperm Injection more than doubles the risk of birth defects. Three other studies found an increased risk of Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome (a disorder which causes enlarged organs and childhood cancer) and a five to sevenfold increased risk of retinoblastoma, a malignant eye tumor.
The last issue to examine is whether couples have a right to children. The answer offered in scripture suggests that children are a blessing, not an ordained right (Genesis 4: 1, 4, 25 and Samuel 1: 27). These verses describe a child as a gift and not an end used to satisfy the deepest wishes of infertile couples. As for us, being immersed in a culture which maintains that we should be able to have whatever is within our reach simply because the technology is there irrespective of any other considerations, listening to the voice of wisdom set forth in thoughtful documents such as Donum Vitae calls for great humility and docility. However, without question the rewards will outlast and outshine any joys we may encounter by choosing a path that is not in harmony with the dignity and integrity of the human person made in the image and likeness of God.
Life Principles Reflections is a quarterly Email commentary developed to give reflections on life issues. Every three months articles are published online featuring a staff or a guest writer.
