Infertility

[roxygurl]

I've been reading a lot lately about infertility treatments. I tried to look up how the Church feels about in vitro fertilization, egg donation, and sperm insemination, but all I could find is the Bishop's handbook said that sperm insemination and surrogate mothers are discouraged. I've been thinking of donating my eggs for couples who want to conceive, but can't get pregnant on their own. That way a woman can still be pregnant with a child that is half hers (from her husband's sperm). The only drawback I could think of from egg donation is that perhaps a gay or lesbian couple would use the egg, but I'm sure I could find an agency that is strict on choosing those who use egg donation.

Is it not within Church guidelines and beliefs to donate eggs for infertile couples? Does the Church frown on in vitro fertilization? If a couple was infertile, does the Church only encourage adoption? I know that many people believe that life starts at conception (hence why abortion is not accepted) but do our eggs and sperm really count as our children if unfertilized? I'm just wondering because if I donate my eggs I won't think of it as donating children because the eggs would be discarded anyway if I didn't donate (monthly), although I suppose someone else in the world would be genetically connected to me, they wouldn't be my children, right?

[Daniel]

I've been reading a lot lately about infertility treatments. I tried to look up how the Church feels about in vitro fertilization, egg donation, and sperm insemination, but all I could find is the Bishop's handbook said that sperm insemination and surrogate mothers are discouraged.

Actually that isn't all correct. In vitro and artificial insemination is only discouraged if you are going to use sperm or eggs other then the father and mothers, and even if they don't the final decision is left to the husband and wife with no need to consult the Bishop, and the child would be BIC if the couple is Sealed. No separate sealing would be needed. You are correct though that surrogate motherhood and sperm/egg donation is strongly discouraged.

Is it not within Church guidelines and beliefs to donate eggs for infertile couples?

The Church would only strongly discourage it. I would believe this decision would need to be made after heavy prayer and consulting with your Bishop.

p.s. The handbook you got your information did it happen to be an old copy or did you find it on the net?

[fish4kitty]

In my opinion and only my opinion I feel you made the eggs there yours. Whether you carry them or some other woman has them inside her they still are your eggs. So with that being said the child would by rights be half yours. I don't know how I would feel about that. Not knowing.

[roxygurl]

Actually that isn't all correct. In vitro and artificial insemination is only discouraged if you are going to use sperm or eggs other then the father and mothers, and even if they don't the final decision is left to the husband and wife with no need to consult the Bishop, and the child would be BIC if the couple is Sealed. No separate sealing would be needed. You are correct though that surrogate motherhood and sperm/egg donation is strongly discouraged.

The Church would only strongly discourage it. I would believe this decision would need to be made after heavy prayer and consulting with your Bishop.

p.s. The handbook you got your information did it happen to be an old copy or did you find it on the net?

I found the information while looking some type of q/a forum on BYU. A Bishop's son had posted that information on someone else's question. It was the only information I could find anywhere about the subject. Thanks for the help! :)

[homeofmew]

what does the LDS church think about Adoption?

Have you thought about taking an Adoption route?

There are many children already born who do not have a home.

[shoebox]

LDS Church Position - ldsinfertility.org — Learning About and Understanding Infertility from an LDS (Mormon) Perspective

[Tarnished]

I will give answers from my experiences. We are currently going through artificial insemination. We are using my husband's semen. If that does not work we will be doing In Vetro Fertilization. If that does not work we will adopt. The church is ok with all of that.

We actually talked to the Bishop about our plans, not so much to get permission but rather to tell him our good news. We already knew the churches stance on things but he was interested to read it himself because he did not know. The church is ok with artificial insemination as long as it is the semen of the husband going into the wife. They strongly discourage using semen from someone else. Why is this? I don't know the actual reasoning behind it but I would suppose that it is because technically you would be having someone else's child.

The church is ok with In Vetro Fertilization as long as the egg and sperm are from the wife and husband. They strongly discourage using donated egg or sperm, probably for the same reasons I listed above.

The church also strongly discourages using a surrogate mother to have your children. Please note that this is all "strongly discouraged" not forbids. I do not think you would be excommunicated or punished for going against their strong discouragement, however I think a couple would really have to counsel with the Lord on the matter.

Regarding adoption the church is all for it. They actually encourage teens who get pregnant to give the child up for adoption. The church actually runs an adoption agency of their own.

As for donating your eggs, I would suppose it would be really between you and the Lord. I think it is discouraged by the church but I am not absolutely sure on it.