IVF

[JimG]

I can imagine a future world in which IVF is not only the norm, but perhaps mandatory. After all, children born by natural methods have two identifiable parents, a mother and a father, with whom they presumably reside as a family. IVF children likely do not know both their parents, or if they do, it may turn out that they are one of 1000 from one sperm donor. Not quite the same intimate family situation. Consequently, equal opportunity considerations might impel the government to provide that no child may know its father, thus all will be equal, and equally fatherless.

 

[Tracyms1974]

I can imagine a future world in which IVF is not only the norm, but perhaps mandatory. After all, children born by natural methods have two identifiable parents, a mother and a father, with whom they presumably reside as a family. IVF children likely do not know both their parents, or if they do, it may turn out that they are one of 1000 from one sperm donor. Not quite the same intimate family situation. Consequently, equal opportunity considerations might impel the government to provide that no child may know its father, thus all will be equal, and equally fatherless.

Call me overly optimistic, but I don’t think people would actually go for that. That would be one heck of a hard sell to most people. Where I work, there are women having babies out of wedlock like it ain’t no thing, and even to them it’s important to know who the father is. Who’s going to pay the child support, right? Who’s going to give the poor mother a break when she needs one? Daddy, that’s who. Or her mother, like where I work. But really, kids like to know who Daddy is too. Kids certainly wouldn’t go for it. It’s funny - we in this country have such a hard time getting people to quit smoking for the same exact reason. What can I say - sometimes people think in massive quantities, right or wrong.

Tracy

 

[JimG]

Call me overly optimistic, but I don’t think people would actually go for that. That would be one heck of a hard sell to most people. Where I work, there are women having babies out of wedlock like it ain’t no thing, and even to them it’s important to know who the father is. Who’s going to pay the child support, right? Who’s going to give the poor mother a break when she needs one? Daddy, that’s who. Or her mother, like where I work. But really, kids like to know who Daddy is too. Kids certainly wouldn’t go for it. It’s funny - we in this country have such a hard time getting people to quit smoking for the same exact reason. What can I say - sometimes people think in massive quantities, right or wrong.

Tracy

You’re right, mandatory IVF is a far fetched scenario, but anything is possible, given current trends. You are right, kids like to know their fathers. There was case on one of the TV news shows a while back where a IVF daughter went to some lengths to identify and locate her biological father. It turned out that the sperm donor had something like 19 children whom he ‘fathered’ but did not know, all in different families and with different mothers. In the end he said he was kind of glad to know them, but he was hoping that no more would show up.

(Since most sperm donors insist on privacy from the IVF clinic, this does increase the possibility that half brothers and half-sisters will inadvertently meet and marry.)

 

[LittleDeb]

Since most sperm donors insist on privacy from the IVF clinic, this does increase the possibility that half brothers and half-sisters will inadvertently meet and marry.

It can be of deeper concern since it has been shown in a few of the relationships that it is nearly a “side effect” of IVF. They see couples who are attracted by mistaking a familial bond for sexual attractiveness. They feel inexplicably drawn to a person and mis-identify it as their soul-mate.

 

[Gisella]

IVF is just too expensive to be made manditory. It’s like $18,000 per cycle. Who’s gonna pay?

 

[yessisan]

I was invited over to post what I wrote on another thread… I haven’t read up the thread, so after posting this, I’ll read up and join the discussion.

You wanna hear something freaky about IVF??? I was left with my jaw wide open yesterday at my grandma’s bday party.

Well, my uncle and his wife ttc for 18 yrs and nothing worked, so they fell for IVF (yes, they’re both Catholic). Well, my uncle said that their IVF doctor had had problems conceiving too, and to their surprise, she gave birth to a baby girl right around the time their son was born. Turns out that my uncle ran into her and she showed him picture of her girl (who is 9 yrs old now), and he said the girl looks as if she could be his son’s twin sister!!! He said he thinks she probably stole one of the frozen embryos because the girl looks just like him and his son! And you wanna hear the worse part of it? My uncle is sure that girl is theirs (his and his wife’s) but they aren’t going to sue the doctor!!! They said because she brought so much joy into their lives, and because thanks to her they are parents now, that they don’t care if she stole a frozen embryo.

I was appalled!

That is another reason why IVF is soooooooo WRONG

 

[yessisan]

Ok, now that I read up on the thread…

I wasn’t against IVF 9 yrs ago when my uncle and his wife decided to try that. I was not aware of many things of the Church since I never went to Church and was one of those people who thought “I believe in God, so why should I go to Mass?”. To make the story short… I have learned more about the Church in the past 2 yrs, than I learned in my entire 26.5 yrs of life.

I had the mentality of “If I can’t have children of my own, then I’d do IVF, and if that doesn’t work, then I’d adopt”. Well, even when I met my husband, and was learning about this, I still thought, even if it’s wrong, I’ll do it. Why would God allow us to use such a tool especially if something so great comes out of it (that being babies).

Well, now I know better, and I cannot believe I used to think those things. I too suffer from infertility, well, somewhat. I got pregnant and lost my only child in a miscarriage, and haven’t been able to get pregnant again. It took us 7 months to get pregnant and we lost our dear baby. Using NFP and having had trouble conceiving, that makes me partially infertile. And thinking about how the human race abuses the mind and it’s power to create and destroy, it kills me to think how I was before, and it hurts to think my own uncle, a raised and practicing Catholic went for IVF. Well, if it wasn’t for that, they wouldn’t have their 3 kids. After having their IVF son, they were able to get pregnant naturally twice.

But you know, even my uncle and his wife told me yesterday that they are happy they found IVF because they are so in love with their kids. They paid $15K for the entire procedure and yes, they are happy, but if you saw the way these kids are bieng raised They have no moral values, they watch porn (at 9, 7 and 5 yrs of age), they use bad words in every sentence that comes out of their mouths, they are allowed to eat and do what they want (being why they are overweight, and by overweight I mean, the 9 yr old was 120 last yr, the 5 yr old was 90 lbs). Only because their parents thought they had the right to use IVF to become parents. But I think my uncle and his wife didn’t know it was against the Church, otherwise, I don’t think they would’ve done it.

Humans overuse the abilities God gave us, and try to play God by creating and destroying life…

I wouldn’t even think of using IVF now that I am aware of the CC’s laws, not even after having lost my baby. I’d rather adopt and spend those $15K-20K on the adoption. If God chose me to carry this cross, then, I have to carry it and live my life that way.

 

[LittleDeb]

Yessisan, thanks for posting that here too. When I read it I was so .

If the chance presents itself you might want to caution your uncle about his son’s future. If a local dr took an embryo for herself, who knows if she gave more away? Your nephew might accidentally meet and want to date a sister, unknowingly.

I am certainly glad that their other embryos weren’t destroyed but this situation really is awful. These folks are fine that someone else has their child. As long as the price was right.

 

[yessisan]

Yessisan, thanks for posting that here too. When I read it I was so .

If the chance presents itself you might want to caution your uncle about his son’s future. If a local dr took an embryo for herself, who knows if she gave more away? Your nephew might accidentally meet and want to date a sister, unknowingly.

I am certainly glad that their other embryos weren’t destroyed but this situation really is awful. These folks are fine that someone else has their child. As long as the price was right.

Isn’t it sad? I mean, what if this woman had taken their baby away, but just because she gave the kid a good life, is that going to be ok? That’s a crime!!! I certainly wouldn’t be ok with it.