Two Letters

These two letters were written in response to the five-part series on stem cell research that I wrote for Christian Renewal magazine.

Letter 1, published in the 28 February edition of Christian Renewal:

Re: Stem cells, the miracles of science, and the joy of parenting: Lessons from barrenness about a controversial issue, Part 1 (volume 25 #07, December 13, 2006).

The subtitle of this article states that it is a controversial issue. It is also a very sensitive and emotional issue. We all know from God’s Word, and many of us from those close to us, how hard it is for a couple to accept the fact when the Lord withholds the blessing of children. It can give much grief and sorrow, loneliness and isolation. It gives rise to many questions. Why us? Not even one? Why not that couple who is unable to handle their many blessings? Why is this young, unmarried girl getting pregnant, but not me? Yet our faithful God works to the good of those who love Him. Many will in faith overcome these times of great sorrow, of questioning. A bowing down in acceptance of God’s will eases the pain, although it will never fully go away and even return later at different times in their life and especially when one of the partners faces death. It is therefore that I, who gave birth to eight healthy children, write with much hesitation this letter. Yet, I do believe that it is necessary to bring some questions with regards to embryo adoption forward.

As Christians, the Douglas couple indeed came to the right conclusion not to use the in-vitro-fertilization (IVF) procedure. IVF procedures destroy human life. Not all embryos will be deemed “good enough”. Less viable embryos will not be transferred. IVF clinics have low success rates. In order to boost that rate most will not transfer only one embryo. This, along with the costs and risks involved, is also the very reason why, when using IVF, they do not fertilize just one egg cell with one sperm. A high number of fertilized eggs increase the success rate. Since more eggs than needed are fertilized you will generate left-over embryos.With the increase in the many Sexual Transmitted Diseases through sinful lifestyles, and because of the trend for couples to delay the starting of a family, infertility rates have risen sky-high. This made the demand for IVF soar. Through pressure of requests for sex selection, savior siblings, pre-implantation screening, designer babies, etc., an even much larger demand might be created in the future. Seemingly there will not be an end to left-over embryos anytime soon.

So, what to do with them? Far be it from me to have an answer to this difficult question. The adopting of an embryo could be very attractive, more so than adopting a born baby or an older child. The mother, although not the natural mother, will still experience pregnancy, childbirth, etc., while the “father” is part of the whole experience as well.

However, I do wonder when we as Christians are making use of this method, aren’t we then participating in the making of a still larger demand for IVF? This demand will soon be noticed by the fertility clinics. These medical clinics are there to help infertile people, sure, but please do not forget that these clinics exist for the business as well, a business which wants to make a profit. These are businesses with links to pharmaceutical and biotech giants, run by business management teams, and with shareholders who would like to see a good return on their investments. This is a billion dollar industry, with on-line marketing advertising “a high success rate”, “free initial consultations”, “money-back guarantee”, and “attentive 24-hour customer service”.

Do we as Christians, in the belief of making proper use of left-over embryos through adoption, help unbelievers continue in their sinful ways of making more? Do we indicate to them that they have found a right solution to the problem of left-over embryos? A solution even Christians agree with, and thereby eliminate the ethical issues of IVF?

Brian writes that three embryos were transferred. This creates other questions. Most IVF clinics transfer 2–4 embryos for best results with the least risks. In cases where four embryos successfully have embedded the couple is most likely offered an embryo or fetal reduction. This is an abortion of the embryos with the weakest heart activity, and preferably done at 8 or 9 weeks of gestation. Pregnancies are then usually reduced to twins and sometimes to singletons. During the 60s and early 70s when the consequences of the sexual revolution were not fully established and the fertility treatments not yet that common it used to be that through normal conception only one in seven thousand couples would receive triplets. Spontaneous quadruplet pregnancies were highly unusual. How do we view the transfer of multiple embryos when we know that multiple pregnancies carry many risks for the mother as well as for the babies? And is it that simple that we can view the expected loss of the adopted embryos which will not implant, as miscarriages?

There are other questions that arise as well and can have far reaching consequences. When do the embryos become “our” children, as soon as the papers are signed and the embryos are still in the dish? Or as soon as they have been inserted into the womb even if they do not embed? After they have implanted in the womb or after they are born? When growing up, how are these children going to react to and deal with the way they were conceived? How will they deal with what happened or is still happening with their siblings who were conceived at the same time? This small sample of questions only scratches the surface of the issue of embryo adoption.

When reading the article we all might get a warm and fuzzy feeling because the desire of receiving a child has been fulfilled. Yet I would caution any couple who is inclined to pursue the route of embryo adoption to put their desires and emotions at a distance before making a decision, however difficult that may be.

For Brian and his wife I am happy that the Lord made all things well and pray that they as parents may teach this child, now born, to walk in all of His ways. And being conceived and born in sin as all of us, that he also may come to see the need for His Lord and Savior and embrace Him.

(signed)
Carman, Manitoba

[I appreciated this writer's knowledge of the facts and understanding of the issues associated with infertility. This letter helped me prepare to write my article, "Embryo Adoption: Questions Answered," which will be published in Christian Renewal and posted here in due course.]


Letter 2, published in the 28 March edition:

Tinkering with creation

I read with great interest the articles by Brian Douglas on “Stem cells the miracles of science, and the joy of parenting”. I had read about IVF and stem cell research but not about adopting frozen embryos.

Looking at the endearing pictures it is hard to believe that anybody’s heart would not turn to mush and think: “it must be right whatever they did.”

Brian Douglas writes about the great dilemma and struggles they had and now he is totally happy with it. Is he?

Brian Douglas agrees that it is the Lord who gives and takes. It is also the Lord who sometimes withholds, be it children, wealth or health.

It is normal to have a great desire to have children but sometimes it is not in the Lord’s plans. What about single women or men who have no spouse and would like to have a family?

We agree that life begins at conception. Would it be alright for a single woman to adopt an embryo? Can we separate marriage, love and children? If something is possible and available does that mean we may make use of it? Can we make adopting a child equal to adopting an embryo?

According to Brian Douglas there are almost half a million frozen embryos in the USA alone, to be disposed of or used for research. Should we all rush off to adopt a few to rescue them?

In the last article again this sweet picture of the sleeping dad and the bright, wide eyed baby. I am glad they are happy, but I cannot help thinking of the bins full of frozen embryos. Is the Lord pleased that they exist? If He is not are we then allowed to use them to make a right from a wrong? Would it perhaps not be better not to create them in the first place and not to tinker with our creation?

(signed)
Vernon, BC

[A part of my response to this second letter, written to the editor of Christian Renewal:

"I appreciate your passing the letter along. The first one was stimulating . . . but I didn't find this second letter to be very well-reasoned. I would be the first to agree that it would be better not to create embryos and then freeze them; if life begins at conception, then it seems to me that adopting an embryo is no different than adopting a child; I have never asserted that single people should adopt embryos, or any other child for that matter -- all kinds of childbearing are governed by the same biblical standards, including embryo adoption. But most of all: while we should certainly never encourage sin, of course we must take advantage of situations in which we can turn wrong into right! That is simply what it means to live out the gospel."]