On IVF (In Vitro Fertilization)
On IVF (In Vitro Fertilization)
The Dignity Series
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In vitro fertilization (IVF)—the conceiving of new human beings in a laboratory—has become a widespread and international industry affecting millions upon millions of people. By some estimates, over eight million children in the US have been born as a result of this technology since 1978. But is it ethical to create human beings by science and not by sex? Is IVF inherently good or inherently evil? Or, perhaps, is it something that is sometimes right and other times wrong, depending on the circumstances? In this timely volume in Word on Fire’s Dignity Series, Stephanie Gray Connors engages both the mind and the heart in answering these increasingly urgent questions. Looking at the morality of IVF and the stories of people who have either embraced or refused it, On IVF will draw readers into the profound suffering of infertility and miscarriage, the difficulties and dangers of IVF, and the hope-filled alternatives that honor the dignity of human beings—both born and preborn.
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What People are Saying
“I highly recommend this book to any couple struggling with infertility. Stephanie’s compassion and understanding about the burden of infertility meets with a careful analysis of medical treatments available to couples. She skillfully explains IVF and explores ethical issues with a genuine concern for the reader. Her personal stories bring sound ethical principles into the real world. The reader is introduced to restorative reproductive medicine, which is helpful for many infertile couples. Finally, couples who cannot have their own biological children are encouraged to explore new and real ways of expressing life-giving love in their marriage.”
—Dr. Phil Boyle, Fertility Specialist, Dublin, Ireland; Founder, NeoFertility Clinic and Chart Neo Fertility App
“Without minimizing the pain infertility inflicts on hopeful parents, On IVF refocuses the IVF conversation on the true victims of the reproductive marketplace: children. Appealing to social science, biology, Scripture, and stories, Gray Connors gently but firmly outlines the emotional, psychological, spiritual, and physical harms resulting from interventions that invert our natural design. ‘God made sex necessary for new human life; IVF makes sex unnecessary. Sex receives humans that God creates; IVF manufactures humans. Sex unites; IVF separates.’ But Gray Connors doesn’t leave you there. She offers a more holistic understanding of welcoming children, healthy alternatives to IVF, and most importantly, hope. For anyone struggling with infertility, concerned about the human cost of IVF, or seeking to understand the ethics behind making babies in glass, this book is for you.”
—Katy Faust, Founder & Director, Them Before Us
“Want to understand the complex moral, ethical, and spiritual issues surrounding IVF? Your search is over. Look no further than On IVF. Written with her trademark compassion, clarity, and conviction, Stephanie Gray Connors answers all the tough questions while challenging us to a higher standard. As a couple who experienced years of heartbreak over infertility, my wife and I are so thankful that Stephanie did what few others would: tackle the IVF topic head on!”
—David Bereit, Founder of 40 Days for Life
“Stephanie lays a beautiful, charitable foundation using analogies and examples of why the great good of children should not be sought at all costs. She points out what many overlook: that having children is a gift, not a right. Stephanie hits the nail squarely on the head in describing the IVF industry as treating embryos as commodities instead of human beings. At the same time, she does not diminish the inherent dignity of all humans, created naturally or in a laboratory. No matter how we come into being, we are made in the image of God, because he keeps his promises. Her juxtaposition of IVF (creation in isolation) and procreation through natural sexual relations (creation in communion) is poignant. The personal stories she includes help illustrate her points in ways that will be understandable to all readers.”
—George Delgado, MD, President, Steno Institute
“As a donor-conceived person and advocate, I must say, Gray Connors has done our community a tremendous service by writing this book. I will enthusiastically be sharing it with those struggling with their identity and conception story, as well as infertile couples struggling to grow a family. Her words are compassionate, wise, scientifically and theologically accurate, and above all, helpful.”
—Alana Newman, Narrator of the documentary film Sexual Revolution: 50 Years Since Humanae Vitae; Director of The Anonymous Us Project