This was painful to read but so comprehensive & informing on this procedure & it's true cost in lives. Being firmly, unmovably prolife, I find myself wondering how this dreadful truth about IVF & freezing wasn't already residing somewhere in my conscience.
I am sitting here, an IVF baby myself, looking at my beautiful IVF twin babies that God blessed me with…
I dealt with years of infertility despite doing everything right from a young age. I never put anything above being a mother; my education, my career or my happiness.
Despite all that and going to see specialists, nothing else worked. Then it was determined that I have an autoimmune disease.
Our last resort was IVF, despite being a young and otherwise healthy couple in our 20s.
My husband and I prayed, fasted and did everything in our power to go through the process in a way that would glorify Him and to remember that every embryo is our child.
Only God can give life and take it away… this also includes the IVF process. He answered our prayers when we prayed for the right amount of embryos (an amount that we could use all of), He answered our prayers when we prayed for the process to work and He answers them everyday when I look at my beautiful babies because I can honestly say “for these children I have prayed”.
We still have four frozen embryos and we intend to use them as fast as we can and pray that each of them is a child that we will get to meet and raise and bring to God.
God gave us a command to be fruitful and multiply, the biggest calling to a woman and a couple is to bring children into this world for His glory, we prayed for these children and did everything in our power to fulfill this commandment. God gave us the miracle of modern technology, and IVF, like everything else can be used for good or evil. We did everything we could and left the rest to God and He has never let us down.
People should try and adopt embryos due to the fact that most of those individuals humans will never get a chance to continue growing. I'm willing. But I can't afford it. Is there a way a family would adopt out their frozen children??
It is so sad that most Christians don't bat an eye at IVF - wanting babies is good, right? But the reality behind it is so much death for the embryos created. Most people have no idea.
Very informative. I just want to ask or point out, they've been trying for another child for 3 years but their current child is 2? Am I misunderstanding or is this an error?
This was a made-up scenario. No competent and ethical doctor would ever suggest heart surgery in order to create another life [my father was a cardiovascular surgeon; the idea of this is appalling]. The author is making this all up and trying to equate a horrible and unethical suggestion with freezing embryos. It is not the same at all. Holding a living, breathing squiggling 2 year old in your arms is NOT the same as freezing a 3 day old embryo. Please don’t “at me” all you prolifers. It’s just not the same. For the record, our daughter & son in law (an evangelical pastor) used IVF because he was born with a congenital condition that precluded natural procreation—he had to undergo surgery twice. Every single embryo created by the IVF process was frozen, eventually implanted, and produced 5 healthy children, praise God! They did not do any genetic testing or sex-selection. Five of the most kid, caring, beautiful, intelligent, fun, funny, Jesus-loving children you could ever meet. We praise God every day for these blessings.
I hear you here. We went through it and honestly not every clinic is psycho. I do wish there was more empathy in the pro life movement and also facts. There is a way to do it ethically but I also understand being against it. Most people who go through this are people who would do anything to have a spontaneous conception
This was very well written. We met a family once who had adopted an embryo when they couldn’t conceive naturally on their own. I had never heard of this so they explained the process and after that day I couldn’t stop crying every time I’d see their son.
He was rescued from the freezer.
What a traumatic and crazy thing it is to freeze a human life 😭
I feel like you already answered your own question in pointing out that modern IVF wouldn't work without freezing. I am lucky in that I fell pregnant naturally with all of my children, but can only imagine how painful it would be to face infertility. People choose IVF because they feel it is their only option. It's sad that so many embryos are lost, but without IVF a lot of families would never have children at all – I can see, personally, how the promise of a babe in arms would make the potential loss of embryos feel worthwhile.
Excellent and well written. All 3 of my children are NaPro technology babies. I am so thankful every day for it because they worked toward real healing so I could conceive naturally.
My question is… how much does any IVF parent care about raising the other 11 children they have left freezer? Sounds like those 11 children are going to be left frozen forever?? Or voluntary killed…
"But nearly every couple would destroy one or more embryos to save the life of their living breathing child, and that is the more analogous situation."
Of course! But a potential embryo is not. Life expectancy for someone you will create is different from life expectancy for someone already alive. I am not for babies in freezers, but the argument doesnt work when you’re talking about life not yet in being, and this is apparent to those considering IVF.
This is the quintessential reasoning behind the “well isn’t it better that they’re given a chance at life at all?” Argument.
That's actually not what I mean at all. I mean the embryo that someone is still considering creating with a sperm and an egg, not yet created. Not sure why you're trying to make this hostile--I believe we're on the same team!
The essay is not about frozen eggs and frozen sperm, it is about frozen embryos. The egg has been fertilized, genetic material combined (conception), and the resulting embryo allowed to grow and develop for three to five days before being frozen.
That is not a "potential embryo," it is an embryo. It is a unique life with unique genetic material.
Your original critique on the article entirely misses the point of the article, surprising for an attorney, because the author is talking about very real— not theoretical— embryos that are left frozen, or left to be thawed and thrown in the trash (or..???) and that is something IVF parents ought to think about, so telling the author here that his argument doesn’t work is picking a fight on “your own team.” Maybe something for you to reflect on.
I'm an attorney in the pro-life movement, and believe fully that life begins at conception, and ought to only begin after the act of sexual intercourse. I'd appreciate if you'd engage with the arguments rather than try to dig at someone who's not an enemy. Sloppy logic does not change law or policy, so my attempt here is to help us all perfect our logic.
This was painful to read but so comprehensive & informing on this procedure & it's true cost in lives. Being firmly, unmovably prolife, I find myself wondering how this dreadful truth about IVF & freezing wasn't already residing somewhere in my conscience.
I am sitting here, an IVF baby myself, looking at my beautiful IVF twin babies that God blessed me with…
I dealt with years of infertility despite doing everything right from a young age. I never put anything above being a mother; my education, my career or my happiness.
Despite all that and going to see specialists, nothing else worked. Then it was determined that I have an autoimmune disease.
Our last resort was IVF, despite being a young and otherwise healthy couple in our 20s.
My husband and I prayed, fasted and did everything in our power to go through the process in a way that would glorify Him and to remember that every embryo is our child.
Only God can give life and take it away… this also includes the IVF process. He answered our prayers when we prayed for the right amount of embryos (an amount that we could use all of), He answered our prayers when we prayed for the process to work and He answers them everyday when I look at my beautiful babies because I can honestly say “for these children I have prayed”.
We still have four frozen embryos and we intend to use them as fast as we can and pray that each of them is a child that we will get to meet and raise and bring to God.
God gave us a command to be fruitful and multiply, the biggest calling to a woman and a couple is to bring children into this world for His glory, we prayed for these children and did everything in our power to fulfill this commandment. God gave us the miracle of modern technology, and IVF, like everything else can be used for good or evil. We did everything we could and left the rest to God and He has never let us down.
People should try and adopt embryos due to the fact that most of those individuals humans will never get a chance to continue growing. I'm willing. But I can't afford it. Is there a way a family would adopt out their frozen children??
Bless you 🙏🏽 infertility is so incredibly painful
It is so sad that most Christians don't bat an eye at IVF - wanting babies is good, right? But the reality behind it is so much death for the embryos created. Most people have no idea.
🎯
Holy crap!
Pardon the profanity but I find this profoundly shocking. Does medicine’s commercial imperative have no ethical bounds whatsoever?
Thank you for this elucidating and impactful explanation. This is horrifying and all the more reason to vehemently oppose IVF, surrogacy, etc.
Very informative. I just want to ask or point out, they've been trying for another child for 3 years but their current child is 2? Am I misunderstanding or is this an error?
This was a made-up scenario. No competent and ethical doctor would ever suggest heart surgery in order to create another life [my father was a cardiovascular surgeon; the idea of this is appalling]. The author is making this all up and trying to equate a horrible and unethical suggestion with freezing embryos. It is not the same at all. Holding a living, breathing squiggling 2 year old in your arms is NOT the same as freezing a 3 day old embryo. Please don’t “at me” all you prolifers. It’s just not the same. For the record, our daughter & son in law (an evangelical pastor) used IVF because he was born with a congenital condition that precluded natural procreation—he had to undergo surgery twice. Every single embryo created by the IVF process was frozen, eventually implanted, and produced 5 healthy children, praise God! They did not do any genetic testing or sex-selection. Five of the most kid, caring, beautiful, intelligent, fun, funny, Jesus-loving children you could ever meet. We praise God every day for these blessings.
I hear you here. We went through it and honestly not every clinic is psycho. I do wish there was more empathy in the pro life movement and also facts. There is a way to do it ethically but I also understand being against it. Most people who go through this are people who would do anything to have a spontaneous conception
Absolutely! I agree with all your points🙏🏻
That's why we have no problem killing full term babies. It has to start from somewhere 🥺
Yes, many are desensitized to the violence and the injustice of shedding innocent human blood by legalized Abortion and Infanticide of Survivors.
It’s still murder with malice aforethought, no matter how you slice him (or her).
That’s why I chose not to go that route. 100%
This was very well written. We met a family once who had adopted an embryo when they couldn’t conceive naturally on their own. I had never heard of this so they explained the process and after that day I couldn’t stop crying every time I’d see their son.
He was rescued from the freezer.
What a traumatic and crazy thing it is to freeze a human life 😭
I feel like you already answered your own question in pointing out that modern IVF wouldn't work without freezing. I am lucky in that I fell pregnant naturally with all of my children, but can only imagine how painful it would be to face infertility. People choose IVF because they feel it is their only option. It's sad that so many embryos are lost, but without IVF a lot of families would never have children at all – I can see, personally, how the promise of a babe in arms would make the potential loss of embryos feel worthwhile.
Excellent and well written. All 3 of my children are NaPro technology babies. I am so thankful every day for it because they worked toward real healing so I could conceive naturally.
You sir, are a true rhetorician: a good man speaking well.
what sin looks like
My question is… how much does any IVF parent care about raising the other 11 children they have left freezer? Sounds like those 11 children are going to be left frozen forever?? Or voluntary killed…
"But nearly every couple would destroy one or more embryos to save the life of their living breathing child, and that is the more analogous situation."
I think you've hit the nail on the head here.
Girl… is a growing embryo a living baby or not?
Of course! But a potential embryo is not. Life expectancy for someone you will create is different from life expectancy for someone already alive. I am not for babies in freezers, but the argument doesnt work when you’re talking about life not yet in being, and this is apparent to those considering IVF.
This is the quintessential reasoning behind the “well isn’t it better that they’re given a chance at life at all?” Argument.
“Potential embryo” meaning… an embryo grown in a petrie dish waiting to be implanted, right? Right.
That's actually not what I mean at all. I mean the embryo that someone is still considering creating with a sperm and an egg, not yet created. Not sure why you're trying to make this hostile--I believe we're on the same team!
The essay is not about frozen eggs and frozen sperm, it is about frozen embryos. The egg has been fertilized, genetic material combined (conception), and the resulting embryo allowed to grow and develop for three to five days before being frozen.
That is not a "potential embryo," it is an embryo. It is a unique life with unique genetic material.
Your original critique on the article entirely misses the point of the article, surprising for an attorney, because the author is talking about very real— not theoretical— embryos that are left frozen, or left to be thawed and thrown in the trash (or..???) and that is something IVF parents ought to think about, so telling the author here that his argument doesn’t work is picking a fight on “your own team.” Maybe something for you to reflect on.
Appreciate the feedback :) have a lovely day
I'm an attorney in the pro-life movement, and believe fully that life begins at conception, and ought to only begin after the act of sexual intercourse. I'd appreciate if you'd engage with the arguments rather than try to dig at someone who's not an enemy. Sloppy logic does not change law or policy, so my attempt here is to help us all perfect our logic.