Extrapolating from what I know…
- In practice, the IVF facility always fertilizes more than one egg—the cost of the operation combined with the high probability of failure to implant means they harvest more than one egg while they’re at it; and I for one wouldn’t trust the doctors to fertilize just one even if they claimed they would. Why wouldn’t I trust them? Because…
- The IVF facility never treats the embryo like a baby; they treat him like he’s fluids, or tissue—non-human property. There have been instances where freezers thaw and kill the embryos and they don’t staff for that like it’s an emergency. Is this not criminal neglect?
- The parents never treat the embryo like a baby. They’ll swear they’re totally committed to following through with implantation, but if something comes up that makes that impossible or even inadvisable you can bet that leaving “it” in the freezer will be a strong option for them. They’ll salve their consciences for their abandonment, saying, “maybe some non-lesbian—even Christian, couple will adopt and raise our baby.” Imagine treating your 3-month-old baby like that.
Do such current considerations mean IVF is simply inadvisable now, or do they point to a larger problem that makes IVF wrong and sinful at root? I’m not sure. I do think both church discipline and criminal codes need to take into account these new potential forms of neglect, as they are so common in the IVF world.