Education

IVF has a set of complex ethical, medical, emotional, and spiritual components. Below you can learn more about the dilemmas involved in the process, many of which you may have encountered already.

Medical Ethics: IVF

Adverse Effects on Pregnancy Outcome

In this brief review, pediatrician Dr. Gideon Koren examines evidence of increased occurence of birth defects following IVF.

Documented Decision Regret with IVF in Women over 42Years Old

Post-IVF is not imaginary. Multi-factorial regret is real and has been documented. Read this scientific abstract to learn more.

Accurate Success Rates

Dating back to 1999, Dr. Sam Thatcher began to ask probing questions into the real success rate of ART and the lack of transparency in reporting methods from the IVF industry. Find more of his critique in his article here.

Cancer risks?

Because of the use of certain drugs and hormones within IVF clinics, there may be a risk of cancer which has not been well evaluated. Women/couples should be fully informed of the medical risks involved with treatment. Read here and here for a small portion of these studies.

IVF Add-Ons

In an attempt to market IVF and increase income, some clinics have "add-on" services which are supposed to increase the success of IVF for their clients. Yet there is disagreement amongst IVF practitioners whether these are needed or even helpful. Find more in this list of common add-ons (note-none are shown to have a clear, effective improvement on treatment outcome).

Bioethical Issues

This article provides a shortlist of the plethora of issues which accompany the practice of IVF.

Abandoned Frozen Embryo Dilemma

These news stories (here and here) highlight the dilemma of having embryos frozen and how that issue is often glossed over by clinics.

Non-Malefecience and the Other Principles of Medical Ethics

Within the Hippocratic Oath lies the expectation to "do no harm." One must ask if IVF can do no harm, since genetic testing, freezing embryos indefinitely, and other overwhelming health risks, besides low success rates, are a part of IVF. Learn more here about the four general principles of medical ethics and how they are considered in reproductive technology.

General Ethical Principles

IVF violates several philosophical principles which serve as the foundation of bioethics.

Principle of Integrity: states that the human person must be viewed in respect to the whole (physical, psychical, etc) and not unduly compromised. IVF compromises this especially for the mother and the embryos. Read more about the principle here.

Principle of Respect for Autonomy: to respect another's autonomy not only acknowledges the other's right to make choices of their own will and values, but also to allow them the right to act autonomously as long as other moral considerations allows it. One might see how IVF can violate this principle for the vulnerable embryo not allowed to act autonomously, but also either parent involved in IVF. Read more about the role in patient-clinician relationship here.

Principle of Informed Consent: one has the right to have all the relevant information needed in order to comprehend and make a free decision. Many have shared how IVF clinics and providers did not fully or take seriously risks surrounding ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and how frozen embryos would be treated. Read here to learn more about informed consent.

Catholic Church Teaching Slides

Catholic Teaching on IVF

Listen to Fr. Mike Schmitz compassionately explain Catholic Teaching on IVF and Contraception.

Shiloh
A Post-IVF Ministry