Is a fertility drug to ovulate >1 egg okay?

[FloridaWife]

Hi. My husband and I have been trying to have a baby for 18 months. We’ve been unsuccesfull.

We had all the infertility diagnostic testing done by a Reproductive Endocrynoligist, and I sat down with him today to review the results.

I should mention that both my husband and I are 36. We’ve never had children, and would like some. I never used birth control. I’m about to turn 37 in two months, so I’m feeling the pressure. And I’d like to have a huge Catholic family, and yet here I am with zero.

So, everything came out healthy. I have regular cycles (about 28 days). I chart my cycles and have marked thermal shifts showing ovulation (about day 14), I can turn an OPK positive at mid-cycle. HSG showed clear tubes. Blood work was all perfect. Semen analysis came back healthy. Progesterone healthy high.

We look fertile on paper.

The Doctor has no explanation for our infertility. He suggested we could do “ovarian stimulation” which would entail me taking Clomid (or some other fertility drug) to make me ovulate more than one egg per month, thereby giving us more chances.

**Is it within Church Teaching to take a fertility drug to make me ovulate MORE than one egg? ** I can understand taking a drug if I had irregular cycles and didn’t ovulate, but I do ovulate, and it wouldn’t be correcting a medical condition. On the other hand, the doctor says, “we don’t know for sure that you ovulate every cycle.” THAT got be confused, because I get those thermal shifts on my chart every cycle. And I am almost 37 and SCARED TO DEATH that I’ll die childless. And the older I get, the more my fertility keeps declining, right?

Please help!!! I’m very confused.

 

[Eileen_T]

An egg is not a human being so there is nothing morally wrong with using a fertility drug as far as I can determine.

 

[kell0618]

Look here for approved reproductive medical treatments. Sounds like you are good to go.

"How do I know when a reproductive technology is morally right?"

The rule of thumb is:

        Any procedure which assists marital intercourse in reaching its procreative potential  is                  moral

Procedures which add a “third party” into the act of conception, or which substitute a laboratory procedure for intercourse, are not acceptable.–USCCB

 

[1ke]

Yes, you can take clomid.

BUT, I really suggest you get some spiritual direction from your priest. Your statement that you are “scared to death” you will “die childless” may be an indication that you are not thinking rationally about this.

 

[DanteAlighieri]

I agree with 1ke here.

It’s easy for me to say this, since I am not in your shoes (single, no prospects ), but one must remember that the purpose of marriage is to serve God’s will. If it is His will that you have children, you will – and if not by traditional means, adoption remains as an alternative.

I don’t want you to think that I’m wagging my finger and saying it’s not God’s will that you give birth. Trust me: I yearn to have a family, too, and I pray that God will allow me to serve Him in that way. But I’m also bracing for the possibility that it’s not His will.

No matter what, don’t give up hope. If you don’t conceive, you can still serve the Lord in your marriage. Remember adoption, if the drug doesn’t help. There are many, many children out there who need a family.

Peace,
Dante

 

[FloridaWife]

BUT, I really suggest you get some spiritual direction from your priest. Your statement that you are “scared to death” you will “die childless” may be an indication that you are not thinking rationally about this.

I have my moments of despair. Ultimately I accept God’s will for me. If it be His will that we are called to adopt, then I accept His calling. But I can’t help letting my emotions get a hold of me sometimes – it’s hard to let go of something that I’ve dreamed of for so long.

When I pray, I tell God that I want to raise children to love Him and His son.

I AM thinking rationally on this. I’m on this forum asking a question about Fertilty Drugs. If I was irrational, I’d be off doing something illicit like IVF or whatever, which I will NOT do.

My spiritual direction is fine. I pray daily and live my life as well as I can in communion with Our Father, His Son, and the Holy Spirit. I just went to Confession three nights ago. I’m feeling spiritually fine.

 

[FloridaWife]

I agree with 1ke here.

It’s easy for me to say this, since I am not in your shoes (single, no prospects ), but one must remember that the purpose of marriage is to serve God’s will. If it is His will that you have children, you will – and if not by traditional means, adoption remains as an alternative.

I don’t want you to think that I’m wagging my finger and saying it’s not God’s will that you give birth. Trust me: I yearn to have a family, too, and I pray that God will allow me to serve Him in that way. But I’m also bracing for the possibility that it’s not His will.

No matter what, don’t give up hope. If you don’t conceive, you can still serve the Lord in your marriage. Remember adoption, if the drug doesn’t help. There are many, many children out there who need a family.

Peace,
Dante

Thank you, Dante. I perfectly understand this. I do accept God’s will. See post above. I agree with everything you say; it’s not new to me. That’s like saying a woman isn’t allowed to cry sometimes. Sometimes I cry. Sorry. But ultimately I turn to God and I leave it in His hands.

My question is about fertility drugs. I just want to make sure that I’m in Church teaching by using these in my marriage.

 

[FloridaWife]

Everyone: This post is about me asking about the use of Fertility Drugs.

While I do feel disappointed sometimes and cry because I don’t have any children to hug at night or to celebrate my love for God, I accept God’s will. Please understand that it’s okay for a woman to cry sometimes and feel scared at times. Perfectly human nature.

Back to the reason for the post, okay?

 

[DanteAlighieri]

I ultimately was trying to be supportive . I’m glad to hear that you are where you need to be spiritually; that’s a relief.

I agreed with the general sentiment that there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with what you intend doing. I wish you Godspeed.

Peace,
Dante

 

[1ke]

Everyone: This post is about me asking about the use of Fertility Drugs.

While I do feel disappointed sometimes and cry because I don’t have any children to hug at night or to celebrate my love for God, I accept God’s will. Please understand that it’s okay for a woman to cry sometimes and feel scared at times. Perfectly human nature.

Back to the reason for the post, okay?

I answered the question. Yes, you can use clomid even if it stimulates you to produce multiple eggs.

Of course, if you end up with multiple babies, your doctor may recommend “selective reduction”… which of course you can’t do.

But, again, I just think that hyperstimultating your ovaries in the drive to have a child is something you should think twice about.

You may also want to contact the Pope Paul VI Institute to see what they say, www.popepaulvi.com. Dr. Hilger’s developed the Creighton Model NFP and all of his treatments are faithful to Church teaching.

 

[Em_in_FL]

Good luck to you and your husband on this adventure…
Using Clomid is NOT considered immoral by the Church…

God bless!.. you’ll be in my prayers!

 

[FloridaWife]

You may also want to contact the Pope Paul VI Institute to see what they say, www.popepaulvi.com. Dr. Hilger’s developed the Creighton Model NFP and all of his treatments are faithful to Church teaching.

Thank you, VERY MUCH.

Yes, I’ve already contacted the Pope Paul VI institute and would rather go *that *route than jumping straight on my RE’s suggesting of using a fertility drug. I’m just waiting to hear back from PPVI, but in the meantime I had my final re-consult with my RE yesterday and he proposed this, so I just wanted to throw it out there since this all happened yesterday. It’s something I’m going to put in my back pocket, so to speak. I wasn’t thinking of doing it right now.

 

[StCsDavid]

Hi. My husband and I have been trying to have a baby for 18 months. We’ve been unsuccesfull.

We had all the infertility diagnostic testing done by a Reproductive Endocrynoligist, and I sat down with him today to review the results.

I should mention that both my husband and I are 36. We’ve never had children, and would like some. I never used birth control. I’m about to turn 37 in two months, so I’m feeling the pressure. And I’d like to have a huge Catholic family, and yet here I am with zero.

So, everything came out healthy. I have regular cycles (about 28 days). I chart my cycles and have marked thermal shifts showing ovulation (about day 14), I can turn an OPK positive at mid-cycle. HSG showed clear tubes. Blood work was all perfect. Semen analysis came back healthy. Progesterone healthy high.

We look fertile on paper.

The Doctor has no explanation for our infertility. He suggested we could do “ovarian stimulation” which would entail me taking Clomid (or some other fertility drug) to make me ovulate more than one egg per month, thereby giving us more chances.

**Is it within Church Teaching to take a fertility drug to make me ovulate MORE than one egg? ** I can understand taking a drug if I had irregular cycles and didn’t ovulate, but I do ovulate, and it wouldn’t be correcting a medical condition. On the other hand, the doctor says, “we don’t know for sure that you ovulate every cycle.” THAT got be confused, because I get those thermal shifts on my chart every cycle. And I am almost 37 and SCARED TO DEATH that I’ll die childless. And the older I get, the more my fertility keeps declining, right?

Please help!!! I’m very confused.

The use of the drug you’re considering is moral; however, be prepared in the off chance you wind up with your large Catholic family all in one pregnancy. Doctors sometimes pressure women to selectively abort embryos.

I say this a little tongue in cheek, but you might also consider adoption as a fertility treatment. I don’t know why, but I’ve heard dozens of stories of women who for whatever reason couldn’t get pregnant, adopted, and then soon after wound up pregnant.

 

[FloridaWife]

Thank you, StCsDavid.

I feel bad for all those embroys “selectively reduced.” Gosh, I’ve never even used birth control because I hate the thought of ridding oneself of human life. I’ve digressed… That’s another topic…

Anyway, as said, I just wanted to throw the question about fertility drugs out there because it was thrown out at me yesterday.

For anyone still reading this thread, I just heard from a woman who was monitored throughout several cycles. Although she did ovulate each cycle, ultrasounds revealed that she wasn’t ovulating fully mature follicles and that’s why she wasn’t getting pregnant. Interesting. It could very well be my case. Only God knows. Thank you, all.

 

[astegallrnc]

I’ll address this…

On the other hand, the doctor says, “we don’t know for sure that you ovulate every cycle.” THAT got be confused, because I get those thermal shifts on my chart every cycle.

A thermal shift does not confirm ovulation. It indicates an ovulatory event.

 

[FloridaWife]

I’ll address this…

A thermal shift does not confirm ovulation. It indicates an ovulatory event.

Really? Hmmmm… MAYBE I **am **having the event but not actually popping out a mature follicle? I didn’t realize that the temp shift only confirmed an event. I’ve learned something today. Hmmmm… More stuff for me to keep in mind as I move forward.

Thank you, astegallrnc!!!

 

[Fergal]

Provided you are ready for a pregnancy that might include >1 children.

 

[angiegirl67]

I would make sure you get all information about taking the drug. I don’t know if there is an increased risk for cancer if you take it. I do know that Elizabeth Edwards took it and she had stage 4 breast cancer that has now metastasized. I really don’t know if there is a connection but I would check it out if I were you…

Good Luck and God Bless You,
Angela

 

[Seatuck]

FloridaWife,

If I may ask a question about your personal experience. I’ve read that it is difficult to get doctors to cooperate with one of the two moral method of sperm collection. Was that true in your situation?

Thanks in advance

 

[FloridaWife]

FloridaWife,

If I may ask a question about your personal experience. I’ve read that it is difficult to get doctors to cooperate with one of the two moral method of sperm collection. Was that true in your situation?

Thanks in advance

Hi. I had no problem. Actually, he gave us a cup and told us that we could collect the semen at home and then bring it back within an hour. He has no idea how we really collected it.