June 2024: the Southern Baptist Convention took a significant stance opposing in vitro fertilization (IVF) for individuals and couple who need this reproductive care. This decision is deeply rooted in the concept of personhood, which asserts that human life begins at conception and that embryos should be granted full moral and legal rights. The resolution, titled “On the Ethical Realities of Reproductive Technologies and the Dignity of the Human Embryo,” calls for the protection of embryonic human life, condemning practices common in IVF that involve fertilizing eggs using ICSI and other methods to fertilize an egg and then transfer it to a woman’s uterus.

The resolution encourages Southern Baptists to consider alternative family-building methods, such as adoption or adopting frozen embryos, to prevent the destruction of embryos. This move reflects a broader trend within the denomination toward more conservative views on reproductive technologies.

Impact on Couples Relying on Reproductive Medicine

This resolution has profound implications for couples who rely on reproductive medicine to conceive. IVF is a critical option for many couples facing infertility, offering them a chance to have children when other methods have failed and when adoption is not an option or choice a couple can make. Adoption is a choice that is not for everyone.

The Southern Baptist resolution, however, challenges the moral acceptability of IVF, which could lead to increased stigma and reduced support within their community.

Couples who turn to IVF often do so after exhausting other options. The process involves creating multiple embryos, some of which frozen for use later. By opposing IVF, the Southern Baptist Convention places additional emotional and ethical burdens on couples, who may feel torn and stigmatized. Couple struggle between their faith and their desire to have a family.

This stance could influence broader societal and legislative perspectives on IVF, potentially leading to stricter regulations that complicate access to this reproductive technology. For many couples, this resolution not only challenges their personal decisions but also threatens their primary hope for overcoming infertility.

Parenting and the decision to use medical interventions to create a family are deeply personal choices that should remain private. These decisions are influenced by a myriad of factors, including medical history, personal values, religious beliefs, and emotional readiness. The process of navigating infertility and choosing interventions like in vitro fertilization (IVF) is complex and often fraught with emotional and ethical considerations. Couples facing these challenges should have the autonomy to make decisions that best suit their circumstances without external pressure or judgment. Respecting the privacy of these decisions acknowledges the unique journey each family undertakes in their path to parenthood, allowing them to focus on their well-being and the well-being of their future children.

It is profoundly unfair to further stigmatize couples who turn to medical interventions to have a child, as their desire for parenthood is no different from that of those who conceive naturally. Infertility is a medical condition that many couples have no control over, and seeking treatments like in vitro fertilization (IVF) is a legitimate and often necessary step for them to build their families. These couples already face significant emotional, physical, and financial challenges; adding societal or religious stigma only exacerbates their struggles. Every couple deserves the opportunity to pursue their dream of having a child without the added burden of judgment or condemnation. Respect and empathy should be extended to all paths to parenthood, recognizing that the journey to becoming a parent can be uniquely challenging and deeply personal for those requiring medical assistance.