infertility

[annoliveira]

Mu husband and I just found out that his sperm has a low motility. The option that was given to us would require the insemination of his sperm into my uterus. I need to know what the church teaches about this. What they do is take his sperm-- and inject it into me to make sure it is placed in the area of my egg to fertilize. Is this wrong to do-- I know that it is not the natural way but we really want to be blesses with children and are having a hard time dealing with everything. We are 28 years old and have been married for 5 years. Please help.

thanks

 

[stbruno]

ccli.org/ This is the website for the Couple to Couple league. Consider contacting them for help with your fertility question. I also would consider going to a Catholic doctor who specializes in fertility problems. They are available. americancatholic.org/Messenger/Apr1997/feature1.asp
This is also a wonderful article for you to read regarding your similar problem. Pray on this! God bless you in your efforts.

 

[martino]

Unfortunately I do believe that the procedure you mention is prohibited for the exact reason that you gave when you said that, “it is not the natural way” to create life.

It separates the unitive from the procreative aspects of marital sex. It is the same as contraception but in reverse. With contraception the couple enjoy the unitive aspect while denying the procreative aspect and with the procedure you mentioned you would be taking part in the procreative aspect with out the unitive. From my understanding of Catholic sexual ethics those two aspects can never be separated.

I would check the link that someone else gave and see if there are other treatments available that are not contrary to Church teaching. I pray that you conceive the child that you desire.

 

[Giannawannabe]

martino:

Unfortunately I do believe that the procedure you mention is prohibited for the exact reason that you gave when you said that, “it is not the natural way” to create life.

It separates the unitive from the procreative aspects of marital sex. It is the same as contraception but in reverse. With contraception the couple enjoy the unitive aspect while denying the procreative aspect and with the procedure you mentioned you would be taking part in the procreative aspect with out the unitive. From my understanding of Catholic sexual ethics those two aspects can never be separated.

I would check the link that someone else gave and see if there are other treatments available that are not contrary to Church teaching. I pray that you conceive the child that you desire.

This is exactly right. I empathize with your situation completely. In fact yours is nearly identical to my situation of infertility. My husband and I actually did undergo the procedure that you mentioned. We were not as faithful as we are today. I have confessed this to my priest and so has my husband. Even though I hadn’t checked whether these “procedures” were okay with the Catholic Church, deep down, I felt so unnatural about the whole deal. We did not conceive, even with IVF (another procedure we underwent before knowing it was a sin).
annoliveira, infertility is an immensely painful cross to bear. We suffered for 6 years before adopting. I remember feeling like everyone was having a baby, but us. I was also around 28 when we began investigating some treatments—we, too, had been having infertility problems for 5 years at that time. My husband and I experienced marital problems, I became severely depressed and began withdrawing from friends and family. I did not want to go to baby showers or talk to any of my friends having babies (when you’re in your 20’s all your friends are starting families). Just know that God knows your pain. In the Catechism, infertility is mentioned as a particularly difficult cross to bear and God has great compassion for infertile couples.
For us, adoption was the answer. We have a multiracial family of 2 girls and a boy. My pain was eased greatly. I feel that God wanted my husband and I to be the mom and dad of the kids we have.
If you choose to pursue further avenues to become pregnant, there are Catholic physicians who work wonders with infertile couples. I must tell you that male infertility, especially low motility is one of the most difficult to treat. There are also NFP urologists out there who would be able to treat your husband in ways that are in line with Church’s teaching.
Continue to pray. God hears your prayers. He knows you want a child more than anything in the world. Ask Him what His will is for your lives. It may be adoption. It may be finding and NFP doc to work with you. Be open to what He has in mind for you.

God Bless
Giannawannabe

PM me if you want to talk privately. Our situation is nearly identical and it is so helpful to talk to someone who knows your situation.

 

[Catholic_Heart]

HI…I am a little bit baffled here. I was the very first person to answer your post, and now I see that my post was deleted…I don’t even know if you ever got to read it.

My opinion was, and is, that it is Ok to go ahead with the procedure…It may not be “natural”, but it takes a lot of love and committment to do this. Anyone can have sex and conceive a child…It requires no committment, and no love…But, to go through a fertility work up, and the procedure you described requres both, if it is to be successful…No one will willingly put themselves through such an ordeal, just for the heck of it.

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Our daugther has poly-cystic ovaries, and her husband has a slightly low sperm count. They used this method to conceive their first little boy, who is now six years old. They went on to have two more little boys with not help, other than high doses of Glucophage, a drug used for diabetics that has been found to be helpful in allowing poly-cystic women to have children. They are presently trying for number four…Hopefully a girl, but it doesn’t matter to me…

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There would have been not Michael if this procedure had not been attempted (along with drugs and shots…all of which were a literal and emotional pain). This little boy is the light of my life…He is so precious, and I, as well as his parents, thank God for him daily.

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I believe that God has given us the means to help “nat****ure” along, and that He means for us to use them. It is just as “unnatural” to intervene in the “natural” couse of disease and illness…

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I am not advocating anything that would entail such procedures as “selective reductions”, which are nothing more than very early abortions…I don’t even think one should use birth control pills, because that may cause an abortion…

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Couples who go through infertility treatments usually have a high degree of committment to their marriage. They do not take parenthood lightly, or for granted. They know what a gift children are, believe me.

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**I will be interested in seeing if this post makes it to the board…I think it was arrogant and dishonest to delete my post just because I presented a different point of view. **

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[Giannawannabe]

Catholic Heart,

I don’t think your first post was deleted. That has happened to me before when I was the first poster. I’m not sure why this happens.

God Bless
Giannawannabe

 

[atsheeran]

The Catholic Church teaches that sex has two purposes: the unity of the spouses and procreation. Neither of these “fruits” of sex is to be separated from the other.

Here is what the Catechism says on the matter:

2363 The spouses’ union achieves the twofold end of marriage: the good of the spouses themselves and the transmission of life. These two meanings or values of marriage cannot be separated without altering the couple’s spiritual life and compromising the goods of marriage and the future of the family.
The conjugal love of man and woman thus stands under the twofold obligation of fidelity and fecundity.

Contraception is wrong because it separates these two ends of marriage. We’re not allowed to pursue sex and cut off the possibility of procreation.

Likewise, artificial insemination is wrong because it separates these two ends of marriage. We’re not allowed to pursue procreation outside of sex.

2377 Techniques involving only the married couple (homologous artificial insemination and fertilization) are perhaps less reprehensible atsheeran’s note: less reprehensible than artifical insemination that involves a third party either through donation of sperm or ovum or the use of a surrogate uterus] , yet remain morally unacceptable. They dissociate the sexual act from the procreative act. the act which brings the child into existence is no longer an act by which two persons give themselves to one another, but one that “entrusts the life and identity of the embryo into the power of doctors and biologists and establishes the domination of technology over the origin and destiny of the human person. Such a relationship of domination is in itself contrary to the dignity and equality that must be common to parents and children.” “Under the moral aspect procreation is deprived of its proper perfection when it is not willed as the fruit of the conjugal act, that is to say, of the specific act of the spouses’ union … Only respect for the link between the meanings of the conjugal act and respect for the unity of the human being make possible procreation in conformity with the dignity of the person.”

 

[martino]

Catholic Heart:

My opinion was, and is, that it is Ok to go ahead with the procedure…

I think she is mainly after official Church teaching…our individual opinions do not mean much when they contradict Church teaching.

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I believe that God has given us the means to help "nat

ure" along, and that He means for us to use them. It is just as “unnatural” to intervene in the “natural” couse of disease and illness…**
We intervene to cure deseases in the hopes of restoring the body back to its natural state…this is very different from intervening as a way to around the natural process.

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Couples who go through infertility treatments usually have a high degree of committment to their marriage. They do not take parenthood lightly, or for granted. They know what a gift children are, believe me.

**

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I certainly agree with this statement and there are various forms of infertility treatment that the Church encourages!

I

 

[Catholic_Heart]

Giannawannabe:

Catholic Heart,

I don’t think your first post was deleted. That has happened to me before when I was the first poster. I’m not sure why this happens.

God Bless
Giannawannabe

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I sure hope you are right! I’d hate to think that anyone would do such a thing as delete a post…unless, of course it was vulgar or indecent. Mine was neither…Just my own thoughts on the subject.

 

[Catholic_Heart]

<<<the act which brings the child into existence is no longer an act by which two persons give themselves to one another,>>>

I disagree with this…I have seen the total self-giving of couples in this situtation…They may very possibly give much more than a couple who can conceive “naturally”…It’s not right to simply disregard the selfless love of these people…It’s much like NFP. You have to be disciplined, and you have to really want the end result, and you have to be committed to your marriage. NFP doesn’t come “narually”, either…Couples have to choose it, and work at it to make it work. Infertility is very much the same way…It takes a truly loving married couple to make either one work…

 

[Asella]

Check out www.fertilitycare.org. Their methods are in accordance with Church teaching, totally moral. I am seeing a Catholic doctor who practices these methods for infertility. So far I haven’t conceived, but hopefully soon!! Infertility is a tough cross to bear. One poster above mentioned the pain infertility can bring, and I have had the same emotions. It’s a very painful thing, and I do think that unless a person has actually gone through infertility, they can’t really grasp just how truly devastating it is. Just keep the faith and offer up your sufferings to Christ (some advice I got from some very wise members on this board a few months back). I wish you well and I will pray for you!!

 

[Giannawannabe]

Catholic Heart,

I know this particular teaching of the Catholic Church is difficult to accept when it is specific to your situation. I hope you read my post in this thread. My situation is almost identical to the original poster. However, we went ahead and underwent some of the treatments offered for our infertility problem. It took me a long time to understand why it was wrong to continue with them. However, in the Church’s wisdom, She has given us guidance in matters of moral consequence. It was difficult at first to be obedient. It has set me free.
Many Catholics are not knowledgeable about the Church’s stand on infertility treatments. The glucophage treatment that your daughter and SIL underwent was perfectly in line with Church’s teaching. Your grandson who was conceived through the insemination process is a beautiful gift of God and his method of conception would NEVER diminish that. However, the poster sounded as if she truly wanted to know what the Church teaches on this issue, so that she can proceed in a manner that is completely in union with God’s will for her and her husband.
I hope that your daughter is able to have a new baby soon.

God Bless
Giannawannabe

 

[Ham1]

Whoa people…

Check the facts before proclaiming that all artificial insemination is immoral. It’s not ALL immoral. Homologous Artificial Insemination IS moral under the right circumstances and provided that the sperm is collected in a morally licit manner (i.e. perforated condom). This is CLEARLY spelled out in Donum Vitae published in 1987 by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith:

"Homologous artificial insemination within marriage cannot be admitted except for those cases in which the technical means is not a substitute for the conjugal act but serves to facilitate and to help so that the act attains its natural purpose.

The teaching of the Magisterium on this point has already been stated.[51] This teaching is not just an expression of particular historical circumstances but is based on the Church’s doctrine concerning the connection between the conjugal union and procreation and on a consideration of the personal nature of the conjugal act and of a human procreation. “In its natural structure, the conjugal act is a personal action, a simultaneous and immediate cooperation on the part of the husband and wife, which by the very nature of the agents and the proper nature of the act is the expression of the mutual gift which, according to the words of Scripture, brings about union ‘in one flesh.’”[52] Thus moral conscience “does not necessarily proscribe the use of certain artificial means destined solely either to the facilitating of the natural act or to insuring that the natural act normally performed achieves its proper end.” [53] If the technical means facilitates the conjugal act or helps it to reach its natural objectives, it can be morally acceptable. If, on the other hand, the procedure were to replace the conjugal act, it is morally illicit."

The point is that under the right circumstances the doctor is not replacing the marital act to it’s proper end but rather assisting that act to achieve it’s intended end.

Perhaps posters should be more careful in the future not to jump to conclusions and lump all medical procedures into the “immoral” category.

The good news, annoliveira, is that you and your husband may have some recourse to legitimate morally acceptable methods.

God Bless!

 

[martino]

Ham1:

Whoa people…

Check the facts before proclaiming that all artificial insemination is immoral. It’s not ALL immoral. Homologous Artificial Insemination IS moral under the right circumstances and provided that the sperm is collected in a morally licit manner (i.e. perforated condom). This is CLEARLY spelled out in Donum Vitae published in 1987 by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith:

"Homologous artificial insemination within marriage cannot be admitted except for those cases in which the technical means is not a substitute for the conjugal act but serves to facilitate and to help so that the act attains its natural purpose.

The teaching of the Magisterium on this point has already been stated.[51] This teaching is not just an expression of particular historical circumstances but is based on the Church’s doctrine concerning the connection between the conjugal union and procreation and on a consideration of the personal nature of the conjugal act and of a human procreation. “In its natural structure, the conjugal act is a personal action, a simultaneous and immediate cooperation on the part of the husband and wife, which by the very nature of the agents and the proper nature of the act is the expression of the mutual gift which, according to the words of Scripture, brings about union ‘in one flesh.’”[52] Thus moral conscience “does not necessarily proscribe the use of certain artificial means destined solely either to the facilitating of the natural act or to insuring that the natural act normally performed achieves its proper end.” [53] If the technical means facilitates the conjugal act or helps it to reach its natural objectives, it can be morally acceptable. If, on the other hand, the procedure were to replace the conjugal act, it is morally illicit."

The point is that under the right circumstances the doctor is not replacing the marital act to it’s proper end but rather assisting that act to achieve it’s intended end.

Perhaps posters should be more careful in the future not to jump to conclusions and lump all medical procedures into the “immoral” category.

The good news, annoliveira, is that you and your husband may have some recourse to legitimate morally acceptable methods.

God Bless!

Almost every one of us said that there are morally acceptable treatments for infertile couples. I just double checked to make sure an not one of us said anthing about ALL treatments being immoral.

Are you saying with certainty that the exact procedure the original poster referred to is morally permissible according to Church teaching?

 

[Giannawannabe]

I think what they’re talking about here is the use of drugs to assist in ovulation such as Clomid.

When they speak of using perforated condoms, from my understanding, it is only permitted to collect semen samples for analysis in diagnosing male infertility problems.

God Bless
Giannawannabe

 

[Ham1]

My point is that under certain conditions (as in licit collection of the sperm) homologous artificial insemination is morally permissible. And yes, and it sounds as though the situation that she describes would fit this criteria, provided that the sperm is obtained through licit means.

 

[martino]

I am certainly no expert on infertility or the possible treatments available. But her description of the procedure “What they do is take his sperm-- and inject it into me to make sure it is placed in the area of my egg to fertilize” seems to be a direct violation of the very document that you quoted from; [53] "If the technical means facilitates the conjugal act or helps it to reach its natural objectives, it can be morally acceptable. If, on the other hand, the procedure were to replace the conjugal act, it is morally illicit."

 

[Ham1]

martino:

I am certainly no expert on infertility or the possible treatments available. But her description of the procedure “What they do is take his sperm-- and inject it into me to make sure it is placed in the area of my egg to fertilize” seems to be a direct violation of the very document that you quoted from; [53] "If the technical means facilitates the conjugal act or helps it to reach its natural objectives, it can be morally acceptable. If, on the other hand, the procedure were to replace the conjugal act, it is morally illicit."

There is a procedure where the doctor “helps” the sperm arrive at the correct place after a conjugal act has taken place. Basically sperm can be collected from the woman after the act and put in the optimum place for conception. In this case the doctor is not “replacing” the act he is helping it to reach it’s natural objective. As long as the conjugal act is not replaced, it would appear to be a viable choice.

 

[Giannawannabe]

Ham1,

So, basically, a couple have relations, and then they go to the doc and there is a procedure that pushes the little guys where they have to go? Is that it? Honestly, I have never heard of that. Do you have any more info? I shot a question about it to the Apologist guys(and gals)…hope you don’t mind. As you probably read, my hubby and have the same problem as the poster. So I’m very interested.

God Bless
Giannawannabe

 

[Ham1]

Giannawannabe:

Ham1,

So, basically, a couple have relations, and then they go to the doc and there is a procedure that pushes the little guys where they have to go? Is that it? Honestly, I have never heard of that. Do you have any more info? I shot a question about it to the Apologist guys(and gals)…hope you don’t mind. As you probably read, my hubby and have the same problem as the poster. So I’m very interested.

God Bless
Giannawannabe

I am not a physician so I am not sure if something like that is commonly used. I have only heard of it on the ewtn website in a question from some time ago. You can search the site for old questions and probably find the reference there. The reason for pointing it out was to show that such a procedure IS theoretically possible and in accordance with the teaching of the Church.