Fertility Treatments Flashcards
Christian views on fertility treatments
some Christians would say:
Genesis states new life should come from husband and wife coming together (sex)
you should accept God does not want you to have children
infertility is like a disease - Jesus was a healer and cured people of diseases
people should use God’s gift of science to overcome their difficulties
infertility can cause depression
What is artificial insemination?
sperm is medically inserted into the vagina to assist pregnancy
can be done by the husband or a donor
no sexual relation is required
What are the Christian responses to artificial insemination
never acceptable:
- children are a blessing from God
- AI goes against God’s design as it is unnatural
- adoption is a better option
sometimes acceptable:
-allows child to be brought up in a family environment, which is the intended design of marriage
always acceptable:
heals disease of infertility
What is IVF?
in-vitro fertilisation (in glass)
costs around £2000 per attempt
embryo created in a test tube and implanted in womb
only 15% successful
10 embryos are usually created in case the first attempt fails, the rest are discared
What are the for and against arguments for IVF?
for:
some Christians may argue that it is acceptable if no embryos are destroyed
against:
Christians believe destroying embryos is like destroying life
[additional guidance:
include relevant points in previous flashcards]
What is surrogacy?
egg and sperm are fertilised using IVF and implanted in a surrogate mother
surrogate mother - a woman who has a baby for a couple
What are the responses to surrogacy?
Abraham and Hagar - surrogacy ruined their family
IVF leads to destruction of embryos
may emotionally affect surrogate mother as she becomes attached to the baby
the baby is treated like property
