Reproductive Technology

The Ethics of Surrogacy

By Brian Clowes, PhD and Marisa Cantu / June 5, 2023 /
surrogacy arrangement surrogate mother

In essence, [surrogacy] is the ultimate manifestation of the neoliberal project of capitalist commodification of all life to create profit and fulfill the narcissistic desires of an entitled elite. ~Kathleen Sloan, director of the Connecticut chapter of the National Organization for Women.1   What Is Surrogacy? Surrogate motherhood is the oldest form of assisted reproduction.…

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NaProTECHNOLOGY: Effective Women’s Health Science

By Susan Ciancio / May 3, 2023 /
Male gynecologist explaining young girl menstrual period

Like thousands of couples across the country, Jacinta and Mike had tried unsuccessfully to conceive a baby. When a friend told them about NaProTECHNOLOGY, they thought they’d give it a try. To their utter joy, they were successful! According to the couple, “After three cycles of accurate tracking and becoming our own fertility experts, we…

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Overcoming Infertility–The Catholic Way

By Susan Ciancio / May 13, 2022 /
couple wedding bands, rings, hands

One of the most amazing gifts of a marriage is children. The excitement of a new life coming into the world cannot be matched by much. That’s why it’s so difficult, as a faithful people, to witness the sadness of couples who face infertility. With our country’s advances in technology, couples facing infertility have myriad…

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Assisted Reproductive Technologies: A Catholic Perspective

By Susan Ciancio / May 6, 2022 /
couple at a consultation for infertility treatment

The Catholic Church teaches that in vitro fertilization is immoral because it not only commodifies a person but also eliminates the marital act from that person’s creation. In addition, it can lead to the deaths of tiny preborn children when unwanted embryos are discarded or used for testing. This is a bitter pill to swallow…

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In Vitro Fertilization: Unnatural Selection

By Brian Clowes, PhD / August 20, 2021 /
ivf

The Centers for Disease Control (CDCs) define the general class of “assisted reproductive technologies” as those procedures where eggs or embryos are handled. This involves surgically removing eggs from a woman’s body, combining them with sperm in the laboratory, and then returning them to the woman (or another woman). The CDCs do not keep track…

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Catholic Bioethics and the Moral Treatment of Human Beings

By Susan Ciancio / June 25, 2021 /
young nurse caring for an elderly man

Respect, compassion, care, kindness, empathy, and love. These actions come about when people recognize the inherent dignity in every person. And nowhere is it more important to understand people’s inherent dignity than in a capacity where someone has to take care of another or provide for his well-being. This occurs most often in the medical…

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5 Infertility Support Groups for Catholics

By Susan Ciancio / March 10, 2021 /
women meeting talking in support group - infertility support groups

Infertility affects about 6.7 million people each year. That’s one out of every eight couples. The crushing effects of being unable to conceive a baby can lead to loneliness, depression, anger, and heartache. If you’re carrying the cross of infertility, know that you do not carry it alone. God is always with you. And He…

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8 Uplifting Bible Verses for Couples Struggling with Infertility

By Susan Ciancio / March 3, 2021 /
Woman bible scriptures on knee, praying to God, hope and trust, bible verses about infertility

Every year, millions of women are devastated to learn that they either have difficulty conceiving a baby or that they’re infertile. While being part of such a large group often makes people feel included and comfortable, being a part of this particular group does the opposite. It makes women feel incredibly alone. The desire for a…

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The Frozen Embryo Problem

By Fr. Francesco Giordano / October 21, 2020 /
Cryopreservation of test tube on liquid nitrogen, a liquid nitrogen bank containing sperm and eggs cryosamples

While in-vitro fertilization (IVF) seems to be a viable solution to infertility for many, the consequences of IVF are often hidden. The clearest consequence is that many more embryos than are “needed” are actually formed. The “extra” embryos are frozen in what is known as cryopreservation.1 These embryos can be conserved for long periods up to…

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Is There a Right to a Child?

By Brian Clowes, PhD / August 21, 2020 /
man and pregnant woman

The goal to be a father, to be a mother, is a human right. An absolute human right. ~Italian infertility specialist Severino Antinori.1   God bestowed men and women with an innate desire to procreate and to nurture their children. This is one of the most fundamental instincts of all, shared by all of God’s…

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