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Is In Vitro Fertilization Ever Justified For Christians, Even With Careful ‘Safeguards?’

Are humans meant to be begotten, not made?

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In vitro fertilization is getting the attention among Christians it has long deserved. 

Catholics have long condemned the practice, but Protestants have been largely silent. That began to change when the Southern Baptist Convention put out a statement on IVF in 2024. Even though the statement stopped short of fully condemning the practice, it got people talking. 

As Christian couples struggling with infertility realize the corruptions of the industry, they begin to seek to “do IVF ethically.” But can that actually be done? The complexities of this question can be illustrated through a hypothetical story.

Imagine a married, Christian, heterosexual couple named Genna and Joe. Genna and Joe already know the ethical basics. They took a study from Them Before Us on children’s rights, led by Pastor Elias at their church. As Christians, they realize that third-party reproduction is against children’s rights and violates the marriage covenant. Together, they commit to using only Joe’s sperm and Genna’s eggs. 

They also believe, as many Christians do, that pornography use is immoral. Joe opts to use a perforated condom during intercourse for sperm collection or, if necessary, to have surgery to extract sperm that way. 

Joe and Genna understand that life begins at conception, and they view any embryos that would be created from their gametes as their children, not their property. They agree that embryos can’t be discarded or frozen forever without intending to use them. They also reject the eugenics of embryo selection out of respect for each embryonic life. They plan to ask the lab to make only five embryos at a time, knowing some likely won’t survive but hoping some will, and welcoming them all if they do. 

With all these caveats, they ask Pastor Elias if they can proceed with “ethical IVF.” They know seeking counsel and support from their community is wise, but they are confronted with some other questions about the process they hadn’t fully considered. 

First, Elias asks if they have sought alternatives. He explains that many couples aren’t aware of restorative reproductive medicine (RRM) that can get to the root causes of infertility. RRM protocols and tests essentially intervene to help conception still occur within the body. Surgeries, supplements, medications, and lifestyle changes can all be a part of this process. But in Joe and Genna’s case, RRM hasn’t worked for years. 

Joe and Genna know of an IVF facility willing to comply with their wishes to create only five embryos and not discard any of them. But, Elias........

© The Federalist