IVF Continues to Go Haywire as Grandmother Gives Birth To Own Grandchild In Japan
A Japanese woman in her 50s gave birth to her own grandchild last year, using an egg from her daughter and sperm from her son-in-law, a doctor has revealed.[Full story]
It was the first time a woman has acted as a surrogate mother for her daughter in Japan, local media reported.
The case is set to stir debate in Japan where surrogate births are opposed by the government and a key medical group.
Japan's justice ministry also views the woman who gives birth as a child's mother - not the biological mother.
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Labels: David C. Price
posted by DAVID C. PRICE at 10/16/2006 06:15:00 PM
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4 Comments:
Although it's something very unusual, I don't necessarily have any moral objections to this.
What are your thoughts, David?
Although I know there are many who struggle...really, painfully struggle...with infertility, I have some very serious concerns about IVF. I believe it is something the Church, in general, embraced without working through the full implications and results. Unfortunately, I don't have time to completely build the argument right now (though I've laid it out in several other posts), here are just a couple of problems:
1. It rarely goes well for us when we play God and force kids where God has not provided (see Abraham and Ishmael). Rather than prayerfully waiting, we take matters into our own hands, often leading to very painful results (birth defects, infant deaths, multiple births of unhealthy children etc.) This happens quite often.
2. IVF has led to the current social problem of extra, discarded embryos. IVF always leads to extra embryos. The problem of embryonic stem cell research has its genesis here. Either way, parents must decide whether to keep their embryos frozen (leading to eventual discarding), implantation, or research. Does this sound like it was a part of God's plan? Does it even sound like something with God's blessing on it?
3. Why must we insist on having kids that look like us? Adoption is a wonderful option. My wife and I decided ahead of time that if we were unable to have children, we were going to adopt rather than go through IVF. That's not to condemn those who chose otherwise, but I've not heard good, sound arguments for why IVF is a better alternative.
This is a very rough sketch regarding some of the troubling aspects. I think the case can be made for IVF being the source of many social problems and ethical delimmas we are currently dealing with today. I cannot make the argument, on any grounds, as to how this is God-honoring or within the context or spirit of God's sovereignty. It's no small issue. Again, look how far reaching the motivations of IVF can be. We're currently fighting terrorism because of infertility and the desire to take care of the problem in spite of God (again, Abraham).
Thoughts?
Yes, my main concern, too, would be with the extra embryos.
My wife and I couldn't have children. We chose NOT to go the route of IVF and are in the process of adopting from China.
I am sorry to hear you could not have children, but I think it's super that you are adopting. I think it is the best option. God's blessings on you!
There is certainly a lot of heartache involved with infertility, but I've also heard of a great deal of heartache with it as well.
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