The procedure of combining an egg and sperm outside of a woman’s body and then putting the fertilized egg, or zygote, into the woman’s body to conceive is known as in vitro fertilization. Christians disagree on the topic of in vitro fertilization, and the Bible says nothing about it. As a result, the Holy Spirit’s conviction becomes necessary.
God is a life-loving being who both produces and orchestrates every birth. According to the Bible, “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. . . . You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb” (Psalm 139:13-15, NLT). There are significant ethical considerations to take into account because the fertilized egg is a real human being.
Some Biblical Caveats
A common practice among couples is to harvest more eggs than they want to utilize, which results in some embryos being destroyed or stored for later use. The frozen embryos would then be destroyed, but if the couple gets pregnant right away, they might never need to utilize them. The Bible forbids us from taking the lives of innocent people because doing so would be murder.
Selectively harvesting the eggs that the couple intends to implant in the womb is one technique to get around this issue. Of course, there’s a good chance that some of the fertilized eggs won’t make it through, but in this case, it would be a natural expulsion rather than intentional destruction. This implies that if more eggs need to be retrieved in the future, the lady could need to undergo more tests and expenditures.
Sometimes, individuals become impatient and use in vitro fertilization to become pregnant rather than waiting for God’s perfect timing. As the Bible states that patience comes from submitting to the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22), we must exercise caution so that we don’t try to do God’s job on our own when He could have different plans for us. Before engaging in in vitro fertilization, a couple should pray and ponder what God’s will is. “Be changed by the renewing of your mind, and cease to conform to the patterns of this world. At that point, you’ll be able to discern and accept God’s will, which is good, acceptable, and perfect (Romans 12:2).
📌FOR FURTHER STUDY
📖 Empty Womb, Aching Heart: Hope and Help for Those Struggling with Infertility by Marlo Schalesky