Religious Studies - Fertility Treatment

• IVF – In Vitro Fertilisation (in glass): Egg and sperm are brought together in a test-tube. Embryo is put back inside the woman’s body.
• AI – Artificial Insemination: Sperm is collected and placed in the woman’s uterus artificially.
• AIH – Artificial Insemination (Husband): Artificial Insemination using the husband’s healthy sperm.
• AID – Artificial Insemination (Donor) Artificial Insemination using an anonymous donor’s sperm, e.g. if the husband’s sperm are not healthy, or a woman has no partner.
• Surrogacy – If a woman cannot have children, her husband’s sperm is used to impregnate another woman – a 3rd party. She gives birth and hands the baby back to the couple.

Some Christians believe that life is a gift from God, not a right or something we can demand. Others argue that infertility is a medical problem, and that if doctors can treat it, we have a right to expect treatment. 

For

• It brings happiness to people who would not be able to have children.
• If life comes from God, anything that creates new life must be good.
• It can create loving families.
• Most loving action is to offer medical help and to use these God-given gifts of healing.

Against

• God chooses whether people have babies or not, as it is a gift.
• God may have chosen these people to devote their lives to other kinds of Christian work.
• It goes against “natural law” to create a child in any way other than through sex.