Should Christians do IVF?

In vitro fertilization has skyrocketed in recent years, which is no surprise considering infertility has risen dramatically, couples are intentionally delaying childbearing for a variety of reasons, and IVF has become the most effective infertility treatment on the market.

But there are many theological debates circulating around IVF, especially when it comes to Christians who adamantly believe it is sinful to assume the role of God.

Christians struggling with infertility may find themselves hesitant and wondering if it’s biblically sound to give IVF a go.

Allie Beth Stuckey is ready to unpack the issue from a biblical perspective.

First, she makes it clear that “every single one of us will enter into heaven with a … long list of ideas and held beliefs that we are wrong about.”

“I don't think someone loses their salvation because they are a Christian and they go through IVF,” she says.

However, she does have some opinions when it comes to the subject:

“I think the worst possible way to use IVF is to fertilize as many eggs as possible, get as many embryos as possible, and then implant a couple … hope that they take, and then put the rest of them on ice or destroy the rest of them,” she explains.

“Not really caring what happens to the other embryos that are fertilized – whether they are frozen in perpetuity or whether they are destroyed – like that is a form of abandonment of your offspring because [Christians] believe that life starts at conception,” she says.

“We understand that these embryos are tiny little image bearers of God in their first stages of life.”

Ultimately, Allie “[doesn’t] recommend IVF,” but “the less problematic form of IVF is when you implant all of the embryos, all of the eggs that you fertilize … [and] give them all a shot at life.”

However, that doesn’t mean that IVF is foolproof, according to Allie; it just means “there are fewer ethical qualms.”

“Whenever technology takes us away from what's natural to what's possible, there will always be questions, there will always be gaps to be filled,” she says.

“One of the issues with IVF is that there is a high attrition rate; you know going into it that it is very likely that the embryos that you create will not survive; they will be miscarried … [and] won't grow to fruition, so you are taking a risk with that little human being's life purposely.”

She does acknowledge that natural conception can also result in miscarriage, but the chances are much higher with IVF.

“We can't conflate what we desire with God's calling, so just because we want something and just because something is technologically possible does not mean that it's moral or biblical or right,” Allie says.

“That does not mean that I think that parents who have children through IVF [are] bad parents, that they're evil, that their kids aren't valuable,” she assures. “I'm not even asking you to regret your children,” but “these are uncomfortable questions that we all have to ask ourselves.”

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