Examining IVF morality - hypothetical situations

  • Thread starter Thread starter user3856530
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
U

user3856530

Guest
In another thread I presented hypothetical IVF scenarios to try to determine exactly why the Catholic Church deems IVF to be unacceptable. To say ‘IVF is intrinsically wrong’ doesn’t quite cut the mustard.

Here are 10 hypothetical situations. Which ones would be regarded as a sin in the eyes of the Church?

One: Sexual intercourse within marriage with consenting adults with the goal to reproduce. (hopefully an easy one to start)

Two: Same as one, but couple are having fertility problems. A strict diet is used to help increase fertility

Three: Same as two, but the male partner uses Viagra because they have erectile dysfunction.

Four: Same as two, but the female partner uses pregnyl, a drug that promotes ovulation.

Five: Same as two, but with both Viagra and Pregnyl.

Six. Same as two, but the Viagra is not working, so the male partner has surgery and an implant is inserted into the penis so that an erection can be maintained.

Seven: Same as two. The male partner has an accident and has to get an artificial penis. He uses this for sexual intercourse.

Eight. Same as two. The male partner extracts his own sperm using a syringe, and puts this into the female by means other than his penis.

Nine. Same as two. The female has a problem with her uterus. She has surgery and an artificial uterus is implanted. They have reproductive intercourse.

Ten: Same as two. The male partner (who is also an embryologist) extracts one egg from the female and uses his own sperm to fertilise it. This is then implanted back into the female partner.

(It was generally accepted that Eight and Ten cross the line. I presented two more scenarios:)

Eleven: Sexual intercourse within marriage with consenting adults with the goal to reproduce.
The male has a detachable prosthetic penis that he uses for intercourse. The female partner also has an artificial uterus.

Twelve: Sexual intercourse within marriage with consenting adults with the goal to reproduce. Immediately after sexual intercourse, the female partner has her egg removed, and some of the ejaculated sperm. These are fertilised in vitro and then implanted back into the female. In this case sexual intercourse has not been replaced or interrupted.
 
Spirithound said:
I should note somewhere here that this is my own interpretation of the principles the Church has given, and I am open to being corrected when Holy Mother Church rules on these situations.

Having noted that…
11. Morally acceptable. I may have over-implied the importance of the various parts being “true” parts of the partners’ bodies in Scenario 7. I feel that it is important that the parts be “part” of their bodies, but basically because it allows the husband/wife team to engage in sexual intercourse. So in 11, it does not matter that the prosthetic penis is detachable, because it is still used as a real penis is meant to be used.
  1. Morally unacceptable. Sexual intercourse is an essential part of procreation, but natural fertilization is equally important.
Click to expand...
 
usccb.org/LifeGivingLove/

usccb.org/prolife/programs/rlp/98rlphaa.shtml

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20081208_dignitas-personae_en.html

GIFT is not IVF. It has not been approved by the Vatican as of yet. It sits in the we haven’t made a ruling but it is problematic pile.
Most theologians consider the procedure known as LTOT, or Lower Tubal Ovum Transfer, to be morally acceptable. This involves transferring the wife’s egg beyond a blockage in the fallopian tube so that marital relations can result in pregnancy. Another method, more morally controversial, is called GIFT, or Gamete Intra-Fallopian Transfer. It involves obtaining a husband’s sperm following marital relations and aspirating an egg from the wife’s ovary. Egg and sperm are placed in a tiny tube separated by an air bubble, and the contents of the tube are then injected into the wife’s fallopian tube with the hope that fertilization will occur. Some theologians consider this to be a replacement of the marital act, and therefore immoral. Other theologians see it as assisting the marital act, and therefore permissible. Because the teaching authorities of the Church—the Pope and bishops—have not made a judgment about GIFT, Catholic couples are free to choose it or reject it depending on the guidance of their own conscience. If the teaching authority of the Church should judge the procedure to be immoral, however, GIFT should no longer be used.
Click to expand...
From
usccb.org/prolife/programs/rlp/98rlphaa.shtml

Read over the above links to get the full understanding of the church teaching at this time.
 
user3856530 said:
It looks like this is acceptable:
www2.loras.edu/~CatholicHE/Arch/Sexuality/Gamete.html
Click to expand...
Officially, we would speak about this a little more carefully. Cardinal Ratzinger, as Prefect of the CDF gave criteria which GIFT does appear to respect, but GIFT itself has not yet been ruled on. Monsignor Caffarra does not have the authority to give a final OK on this, and there is still debate, so it’s not yet “approved”, it’s “not excluded”.
 
What does the term ‘Marital Act’ mean?
If anyone can give me a precise official catholic church definition, that would be great.
 
user3856530 said:
What does the term ‘Marital Act’ mean?
If anyone can give me a precise official catholic church definition, that would be great.
Click to expand...
It’s a euphemism for sexual intercourse between a husband and wife.
 
user3856530 said:
What does the term ‘Marital Act’ mean?
If anyone can give me a precise official catholic church definition, that would be great.
Click to expand...
Vaginal sexual intercourse in which the male ejaculates inside the female.
 
Thanks for those definitions.

Why does Catholic Church regard IVF as a sin?
  1. Because it is committing adultery.
  2. Because it ‘gets in the way of the marital act’ (as defined above)
or some other reason?
 
user3856530 said:
Thanks for those definitions.

Why does Catholic Church regard IVF as a sin?
  1. Because it is committing adultery.
  2. Because it ‘gets in the way of the marital act’ (as defined above)
or some other reason?
Click to expand...
  1. It falls under the sixth Commandment, Do not commit adultery, but I would not equate it with adultery.
  2. More precisely, it replaces the marital act.
There may be other reasons too.
 
user3856530 said:
In another thread I presented hypothetical IVF scenarios to try to determine exactly why the Catholic Church deems IVF to be unacceptable. To say ‘IVF is intrinsically wrong’ doesn’t quite cut the mustard.

Here are 10 hypothetical situations. Which ones would be regarded as a sin in the eyes of the Church?

One: Sexual intercourse within marriage with consenting adults with the goal to reproduce. (hopefully an easy one to start)

Two: Same as one, but couple are having fertility problems. A strict diet is used to help increase fertility

Three: Same as two, but the male partner uses Viagra because they have erectile dysfunction.

Four: Same as two, but the female partner uses pregnyl, a drug that promotes ovulation.

Five: Same as two, but with both Viagra and Pregnyl.

Six. Same as two, but the Viagra is not working, so the male partner has surgery and an implant is inserted into the penis so that an erection can be maintained.

Seven: Same as two. The male partner has an accident and has to get an artificial penis. He uses this for sexual intercourse.

Eight. Same as two. The male partner extracts his own sperm using a syringe, and puts this into the female by means other than his penis.

Nine. Same as two. The female has a problem with her uterus. She has surgery and an artificial uterus is implanted. They have reproductive intercourse.

Ten: Same as two. The male partner (who is also an embryologist) extracts one egg from the female and uses his own sperm to fertilise it. This is then implanted back into the female partner.

(It was generally accepted that Eight and Ten cross the line. I presented two more scenarios:)

Eleven: Sexual intercourse within marriage with consenting adults with the goal to reproduce.
The male has a detachable prosthetic penis that he uses for intercourse. The female partner also has an artificial uterus.

Twelve: Sexual intercourse within marriage with consenting adults with the goal to reproduce. Immediately after sexual intercourse, the female partner has her egg removed, and some of the ejaculated sperm. These are fertilised in vitro and then implanted back into the female. In this case sexual intercourse has not been replaced or interrupted.
Click to expand...
I guess no one can say you haven’t given this plenty of thought. Although about a third of these weren’t even comprehendable 40 years ago.
 
According to the teachings of the Church, the marital act and procreation must always be linked. Therefore there cannot be sex between husband and wife without the possibility of a new life being created, or a new life being created without marital relations between husband and wife. The two are inseparable. When you undergo IVF, you are disconnecting procreation from the marital relations, which takes away from the bonding between husband and wife. That’s why it falls under the sixth commandment, it takes away from the marital bond, just like adultery does.
At least this is my understanding, if someone with more knowledge of the Church’ teachings on this particular matter can correct me, please feel free! It is a fascinating subject and something I am open to learning more about. 🙂
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top