in vitro fertilization: Jewish consideration

Ten percent of the population cannot have children, even though the majority of the Jewish authorities allow test tube conception, they also worry about what to do with the genetic material that is left over. Two of the only reasons why chief Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef gave his qualified approval to the vitro fertilization was if the husband could not produce enough sperm with each ejaculation to get his wife pregnant, another reason is if the women is unable to move the egg from the ovary into the uterus because of blocked fallopian tubes. Shlomo Goren, another former chief Rabbi stated that this manner is morally unacceptable but legally unobjectionable. This procedure does not include adultery since the sperm and egg are obtained for this procedure which is permissible because in the Torah, the first amendment stated to be fruitful and multiply. This helps fulfill the biblical commandment of procreation, the parents can now fulfill their obligation with having children. Objections can exist if a woman tries to use another male’s sperm other than the husband this is one of certain Jewish legal problems. Jewish law is really strict about the disrespect of the Sabbath, to keep the existence of an embryo in the mother’s womb even if it has been there for a short period of time. If there is not life outside the uterus, the fertilized ovum can be disposed. Jewish legal objections to end vitro fertilizations. Women have the right to decide if they want the procedure to happen. Women’s obligation to populate the universe, bring lives’ to the world, are limited by means of natural intercourse. When more than one fertilized egg is implanted into the woman, this may result in a multiply pregnancy. There is cases where there are three or more fetuses growing in the womb, this results in high risks of pregnancy, this can also result of high risk of the fetuses’ death. When then the women is being treated with IVF she goes through hormone treatment and her ovaries can produce over 20 eggs per cycle. Some of them are used and try to fertilize them and the rest are freeze for the future. In the process the entire fertilization procedure must be strictly supervised by a trained and third party Jewish person. Medical staff, family members including the wife and husband are not able to supervise the entire procedure. Therefore the third party must be someone that has gone under serious training, and is very informed of the case and has studied it deeply. 

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Permissibility of In Vitro Fertilization: An Islamic View

According to Islamic jurisprudence, the basic as well as fundamental reason to consider IVF for a legally married couple is when they have attempted all the natural means to conceive but have been unsuccessful due to infertility causes. There is a condition that says the sperms and eggs should be from the husband and wife only and after that the embryo should be placed in the womb of the woman who is the wife. If the condition is not followed then it is regarded as zina. As commented by Kutty, S. A., a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar states "To introduce an egg or sperm from the third person to the equation is a kin to sharing the marriage bed eith someone else. It is therefore considered no different from zina (adultery) in Islam. A child born through such a procedure is born of zina in Islam".

The Islamic Fiqh council issued the following Fatwa in its seventh session held in 1404 (after Hijrah AH) that the basic supposition is artificial insemination which means to take the husband’s sperm and place it in the wife’s womb – is permitted, whether before or after fertilization. Nevertheless, to use alternative woman’s egg or womb, or to use another man’s sperm, would be considered illegitimate and unlawful due to the subsequent misperception in lineage. Such third party involvement would not be permitted even if the parents were infertile or carriers of gene mutation, disease, etc.

Doing In-vitrofertilization with egg and sperm before planting can be accompanied with doubts so it should be practiced only in case of dire necessity to do so. In Islam, it is permissible with some pre-conditions which are as follows:

1.      The Muslim woman must not under any circumstances show her private parts to anybody except her husband unless there is a lawful reason to do so.

2.      No doubt that the need for the woman to be treated for an illness is a lawful reason that gives her the right to be exposed to a person other than her husband but this should be in conformity with the necessity itself.

3.      If there is a legal reason for the woman to be exposed to a person other than her husband for treatment, that person should be a Muslim woman if there is one who can do the job; if not found, then a non-Muslim woman; if not found then a trustworthy Muslim doctor; if not found then a non-Muslim doctor. This is the legal sequence.  It is unlawful for the woman to stay by herself with the male doctor. It is mandatory that her husband or another woman stays with them. The council also states that the need of the married woman as well as her husband to have a child is a sound reason and a legal one that makes it lawful for the infertile woman or man to seek treatment in the lawful way of artificial insemination.

The basic Islamic principle allows an individual who is suffering and facing hardships; to use all lawful means to solve their problems, however at the same time preserving their trust in Allah that He will help them achieve their goal.

A saying of the Holy Prophet is “For every disease Allah has created a cure except death, So Oh Children of Adam, seek cure for your ailments.” Henceforth, it is quite evident that infertile couples are inculcated and fortified to seek a cure of their infertility. The command to pursue treatment and remedies for disease also applies to physicians and other healthcare professionals. All health care professionals are obliged to abide by the ethical principles and so autonomy is one of the major ethical principles which led the health care provider to respect and acknowledge the couple’s right to make choices and take action based on their values and belief system. Also, the discovery of new methods of treatment for infertility as well as other diseases is in principle of a perfectly legitimate pursuit. Consequently, it’s the couple’s right to seek for the cure since every couple in this world has a desire for children because it is strongly embedded in the human psyche and there is nothing morally problematic about fulfilling this desire.

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IVF and Christianity: Is it playing God or just helping live out what is destined by him?

 Many Christian people have a huge issue with any form of fertilization that is not natural.  One of the biggest things is the IVF method Or In vitro Fertilization. In vitro fertilization has helped many childless people around the world have babies and finally be able to complete their happy families. A lot of women go through so much during this process but the fact they will have a tiny human makes it all the better.  

A Christians point of view on the whole thing is that its murder, your trying to play god which is a sin and destroying the body god gave you to try to have a baby goes against his beliefs. Your destroying many lives to try to create one.

1 Corinthians 3:16-18 ...your body is a temple of the holy spirit who is in you, whom you have received from god? You are not your own…. Glorify good with your body.  This verse in itself should explain a lot. Women put their body through so much during the process if In vitro fertilization. They go through sticking themselves with needles around the clock practically making themselves sick to try to make their body viable to host a baby that was created through science.

  In vitro kills thousands of babies during the whole processes. They freeze he sperm then thaw I which results in countless little babies gone. out of 25 babies that are actually conceived 24 die.  If the woman becomes pregnant with more than one baby she will have the option of aborting the others which most women do. They also have the option of aborting their babies if it may seem to have a health issue. Children should be produced “naturally” through sex the way God intended it to be, not in a petri dish inside of some lab. But parents committed to living out a true and Christian meaning in their marriage will want to avoid treating children like products in the way they seek to be open to the gift of new life.  

              IVF simply and solely does what we as humans can’t do to create the best circumstances for  the infertile couple to conceive and have a child. God does the rest.” Christian people that go through the IVF treatment thoughts on how it isn’t trying to play god is that people feel as though In vitro was mad by God. These scientists created this through him to help non-fertile couples get the child that they deserve. He helped someone think of this to help out mankind. Most women who conceive a baby through IVF think of their child as God’s gift. So therefore, it is in no way going against go or trying to be god in any way at all.                                                                                                                                                        
   You cannot leave something like this up to God and expect someone who’s heart that is yearning for a baby to understand. She used a lot of example on how if someone were to get injured in some way would we neglect to call for help and use the excuse of leaving it up to God and his destiny for what is supposed to happen. which, in my eyes was a very well worded opinion. Christians always say that things are Gods destiny but, do we not interfere with that destiny when we decide to take a dying family member to the hospital to get saved or put someone through chemo for the cancer they have do we? No so why should that be any different?

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Buddhism and In Vitro Fertilization: Examining the Principles Between Spiritual Self-Awareness and Fertility

        

        Out of all the religions in the world, Buddhism is the fourth largest. It encompasses several branches of thought such as Theravada, Zen, and Mahayana, and provides essential teachings on the nature of reality, as well as a methodical approach involving practices that allow its followers to experience a deeper meaning to reality and life for themselves. Buddhists seek refuge in The Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. The Buddha refers to Siddhārtha Gautama, an Indian prince who lived over a millennium ago and discovered the middle path to enlightenment. The Dharma are his teachings, and the Sangha is the Buddhist Community. “Taking Refuge” means to choose to turn to these three pillars of support as the ultimate answer to everything. Religious scripture and beliefs regarding theism differ between schools of thought, but all Buddhists try to live their lives by the Eight-Fold Path and believe in the Four Noble Truths.

Statue located at Tu Vien Kim Son Monastery, in Watsonville Californa. Located at the summit of Mt. Madonna

        In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is generally supported by the Buddhist community, since it does not break any of Dharma and seems to benefit all parties involved. This medical procedure could enable a couple to have a child they may not otherwise have, and since Buddhists generally believe it is a privilege to be born as a human being and thus be given the opportunity to achieve enlightenment, it is considered a compassionate act. However, there are some that would counter that Buddhists who are not able to have children should accept this as fact instead since the Dharma does not list children as a need or requirement, hence couples may be turning to IVF as a result of craving to have children. Craving is believed to lead to suffering, and suffering hinders the human path to enlightenment.

        Another concern a small percentage of Buddhists may have regarding IVF is that it may equate treatments involving a third party to adultery, which breaks the third Precept forbidding sexual misconduct. Many Buddhists, however, do not believe this to be true, since advances in technology have removed any semblance of the sexual aspects, and eliminates unneeded desire between the donor and the couple. It is actually seen as an example of loving kindness by the donor to end a childless couple suffering, and is thus seen as a commendable act.

        More Buddhists are apprehensive regarding the fact that multiple embryos are usually created by the procedure, and there is a chance that the unused embryos may be destroyed once pregnancy has been achieved. This goes against the First Precept of not taking innocent life since many are believers that life begins at conception. Others still see it as a crime to destroy even potential life, especially those of human beings. Therefore, many Buddhists choose to freeze the unused embryos to possibly use later, otherwise, they elect to donate the embryos or sperm to needing families as an act of metta, which is the Buddhist virtue of loving kindness.

        Buddhism is a religion founded on quiet reflection and personal findings. Aside from the core followings, everyone is expected to study and learn for themselves on this spiritual path. Consequently, this sometimes leads to several viewpoints and answers to important questions. The Buddha himself is believed to have pushed the importance of coming to your beliefs yourself, instead of being lead to them and forced to follow, and a healthy Buddhist will think on these and similar predicaments and ask themselves “why” before deciding on a certain set of values. That is what makes this such an interesting worthy topic of debate, and why there are no wholly agreed upon rules regarding this foray into the new world of fertility treatments. 

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