The answer is that human egg cells may not be donated for reproductive purposes. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: Techniques that entail the dissociation of husband and wife, by the intrusion of a person other than the couple (donation of sperm or ovum, surrogate uterus), are gravely immoral.
The Catholic Church believes that IVF is never acceptable because it removes conception from the marital act and because it treats a baby as a product to be manipulated, violating the child's integrity as a human being with an immortal soul from the moment of conception (Donum Vitae 1987).
Indeed, Catholicism takes a pretty strong stance against IVF. The church prohibits any type of conception that takes place outside of “marital union,” which rules out the use of assisted reproductive technology. Another issue is cryopreservation of embryos, which presents numerous moral conundrums for Catholics.
The Vatican also denounced most forms of fertility treatment (egg and embryo freezing, the injection of sperm into eggs), since “they substitute for the conjugal act…which alone is truly worthy of responsible procreation.” The Church singled out in-vitro fertilization, saying the procedure reduces the human embryo to “ ...
If multiple embryos are formed, selective reduction is used to limit the number of children. Where does the Catholic Church stand regarding IVF and IUI? The Church is opposed to any method that violates the fundamental values connected with the techniques of artificial human procreation.
The “Catholic-friendly” feature highlighted by some providers is also the principal protocol distinguishing INVOcell from IVF. INVOcell affords both fertilization of egg by sperm and the incubation of the early embryo within the woman's body (in vivo).
Artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, and surrogate motherhood are immoral because they involve sexual acts that are procreative, but not unitive. And, rightful conception must respect the inseparability of the two meanings of the sexual act.
The Catholic Church opposes certain types of assisted reproductive technology and artificial birth control since they separate the procreative goal of marital sex from the goal of uniting married couples.
This pastoral teaching on marriage and infertility brings Catholic moral principles into the discussion on modern reproductive technologies. The bishops defend the dignity of procreation, reserving it to the conjugal union of spouses. The moral and immoral means of remedying infertility are discussed.
The church believes sexual intercourse has but two functions: unitive and procreative. Therefore each act could result in the creation of life, and not using contraception is the way of allowing God to decide whether conception will take place. Natural family planning is the church's approved method.
All Churches are against the use of genetics to enhance (try to improve on) humans. However, they do accept that some forms of gene therapy may be appropriate to treat people who are ill. The Catholic Church released a document in 2008 called 'Dignitas Personae'.
The key difference between IUI and IVF is that in IUI, fertilization takes place internally. That is, the sperm is injected directly into the woman's uterus. So, if fertilization is successful, the embryo implants there as well. With IVF, fertilization takes place externally, or outside of the uterus, in a lab.
Gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) uses multiple eggs collected from the ovaries. The eggs are placed into a thin flexible tube (catheter) along with the sperm to be used. The gametes (both eggs and sperm) are then injected into the fallopian tubes using a surgical procedure called laparoscopy.
While assisted reproduction is not accepted by the Vatican , it may be practiced by Protestant, Anglican and other denominations. According to traditional Christian views, beginning at conception, the embryo has moral status as a human being, and thus most assisted reproductive technologies are forbidden.
On New Year's Eve 1930, the Roman Catholic Church officially banned any "artificial" means of birth control.
The chief moral argument against the fertilization of a human egg in a laboratory dish was that the parents' desire for a child did not entitle them to have it by a possibly unsafe method that might result in a deformed infant. In the United States that argument delayed the further development of IVF.
The pair of them are often referred to as the patron saints of “impossible causes,” and infertility can indeed feel like the most impossible of causes. Sts. Anthony of Padua, Colette, Gerard and Philomena also have a reputation for helping infertile women and are considered special patrons of those seeking to conceive.
There is no sentence in the Bible that explicitly prohibits contraception, yet the Catholic Church does not support any methods of birth control but periodical abstinence.
Religious Views on Surrogacy
Instead, the Church teaches that children are a gift from God, only to be conceived and carried naturally by a married husband and wife. Any addition of a third party to this process is considered immoral.
IVF is permitted in Islam, provided that the sperm and egg come from a married couple. Embryo transfer is the procedure that follows IVF and this involves implantation of the embryo formed in the lab into the uterus of the woman.
Unlike most other assisted reproductive technologies, fertility medications such as clomiphene citrate are considered an acceptable fertility treatment by the Catholic Church making them the preferred option for some patients.
The Catholic position on contraception was formally explained and expressed by Pope Paul VI's Humanae vitae in 1968. Artificial contraception is considered intrinsically evil, but methods of natural family planning may be used, as they do not usurp the natural way of conception.
Therefore, often results in emotional and financial loss. Children born through methods like IVF are more prone to complications like mental retardation, chronic lung problems, cerebral palsy and learning disabilities. Another social issue is the concern of age.
What is Artificial Insemination (IUI) and IVF? Put simply, In IUI, specialists wash the sperm and inject it into the uterus, where it fertilises the eggs naturally. Conversely in IVF, they harvest and fertilise the eggs in the lab.