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In vitro fertilization (IVF) has become a hot topic in the United States— one the Catholic Church has much to say about. With President Trump’s Feb. 18 executive order and multiple celebrity examples of the practice, there has never been a better time for Catholics to weigh in.
According to The Hill, President Trump’s executive order seeks to “lower costs and reduce barriers” to IVF. In the same month, actress Lily Collins welcomed a baby via surrogacy, and she has been far from the only celebrity in recent memory to utilize surrogacy, which uses IVF as part of the process. Elon Musk has also utilized both IVF and surrogacy to have several of his children.
But what is popular is not always moral, as the Catholic Church well knows. In an article titled “What is the Catholic Church’s position on IVF?”, the National Catholic Register explained Church teaching on the process.
“The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that IVF is ‘morally unacceptable’ because it separates the marriage act from procreation and establishes ‘the domination of technology’ over human life,’” journalist Peter Pinedo wrote.
Professor Mariele Courtois, assistant theology professor at Benedictine College, explained the moral concerns with IVF.
“The human embryo bears the dignity due to any other human being from the moment of its conception and thus is to be treated with abundance of love and reverence,” Courtois said. “In most instances of IVF, extra embryos are stored indefinitely or discarded, which disrespects that infinitely precious individual at the embryonic stage of life, created and then treated as a commodity.”
Courtois further explained the harm IVF does to a marriage bond from a Catholic perspective.
“The technique of IVF separates the unitive and procreative ends of marriage,” Courtois said. “The relationship between these two ends of marriage reveres life as something beyond solely a hope or desire: life is a gift and grace beyond the merits of its recipients. As a gift, life cannot be dominated or presumed.”
Like many Catholic thinkers before her, Courtois encouraged Catholics to have compassion for those struggling with infertility while upholding the dignity of life. Many have considered IVF a pro-life issue. Elizabeth Peterson, president of Benedictine College’s Ravens Respect Life club, has a vested interest in the respect for human life.
“The process of IVF is problematic for a number of reasons, but a big reason is because the easiest and most efficient way for the IVF companies to implant embryos is by creating more than they need to,” Peterson said, echoing the Register article.
But Peterson has an even more personal connection to the issue of IVF.
“I knew a girl in DC last summer, because we both worked at the Religious Freedom Institute. We became pretty good friends. And… it came up how I’m Catholic and the Catholic Church doesn’t support IVF. And she was just asking about that because she was actually conceived through IVF. So it got really personal, really fast.”
Peterson went on to say she knows several people in her personal life who were conceived through IVF.
“It is a really difficult subject, right?” Peterson said. “Because so many couples struggle with fertility. My mom and dad actually struggled with infertility for about five years, so that that pain definitely resonates with me. I think it resonates with a lot of people.”
Peterson emphasized the need for compassion when discussing these issues.
“I think, you know, so many times we tend to get angry about these situations, they just make us really frustrated and emotional. But in the midst of that frustration and anger, it is important to try and understand what we are confronting. And once a person understands the nature of IVF and how it works, and how it is often contrary to life, certainly contrary to the dignity of life, and causes the death of these children even as they are being created.”
According to Peterson, the pro-life movement should also emphasize respect and empathy when supporting those who struggle with infertility.
“I think everyone should be respected and that the pro-life movement should maybe be open to supporting more of a holistic family dynamic where we support more adoptions and try to find ways of connecting couples. . . because truthfully you don’t have to be a biological parent to be a mother or a father. I really think God has imprinted in all our hearts the desire to be a mother or a father.”
Above all, Peterson emphasized the importance of continuing to engage in these conversations.
“I think it’s really important to have these discussions and not be afraid to engage with people who may have a different perspective than we do. Sometimes, you know, people just make wrong choices because they’re hurting or they’re very frightened. You can’t condone those choices, but I think we can try to approach from a place of understanding.”