October is Respect Life Month in the Catholic Church. It is a time to reflect on the gift of life more deeply, to renew and increase our commitment to promoting a culture of life through prayer and action, and to recognize the dignity of every human life, from conception to natural death. Every week of the month, I will be sharing a post on one of the many life issues in our world today.
An issue that there are a lot of misconceptions around is In vitro fertilization. It seems to be an issue that many people even within the Church do not understand or do not know Church teaching on. Within the last few years, it became a big topic as it was discussed frequently during the election cycle. And it’s been making headlines and getting attention recently too. Unfortunately, the current presidential administration has really been making a big push for IVF and promoting it as something good. The Catholic Church stands firmly against IVF and whether people know or not and whether they want to accept it or not, it is always morally wrong.
One thing we must always be clear on is that the way in which a child is conceived does not determine the value and dignity of that child. This is to say that, if you were conceived through IVF, your life is a gift and valuable. If your kids, family members, or friends were conceived through IVF, their lives are gifts and valuable. But the end doesn’t justify the means. In other words, wanting to have a baby does not justify the process of IVF. We can denounce the process without denouncing the people who are here as a result of it.
I can only imagine how deeply painful and confusing the cross of infertility would feel. To desire and want children is a good and normal desire. But we must always remember that life is a gift. And it is only God who can give that gift, because He is the author of life. To manufacture babies in labs and in petri dishes makes babies commodities. They become like “products” that people believe they have the right to, rather than seeing them as a gift. We do not have rights to other humans. The IVF process also goes against the way that God intended for new life to begin. As we know, God can always bring good out of evil, bringing forth a beautiful baby, made in His image, from the unethical practice of IVF.
The ways that IVF is most often and commonly practiced kills countless lives. Multiple embryos are typically created, to increase the likelihood that one will implant, grow, and lead to birth. Embryos are often frozen for years, used for research, or permanently abandoned and discarded. There are also times when embryos are deemed “genetically unfit” and they are immediately discarded like trash. Other times, parents desire certain traits or want to choose the gender. This becomes a very dangerous game of eugenics. As we know, life begins at conception, meaning human embryos are new and unique human lives. IVF kills innocent human lives, yet, this is so often not talked about.
This barely scratches the surface of why IVF is morally wrong. It is an issue with many layers to it. The answer to infertility is not IVF, and it doesn’t even really get to the root of the issue and solve it. There are some great resources to learn more and to help understand how to respond to common questions people have. I highly recommend the book called On IVF, by Stephanie Gray Connors. She is one of the most profound and knowledgeable Catholic and pro-life voices out there. She shares the truth with clarity, conviction, compassion, and love and does a deep dive into the topic and has an answer to every reason someone may give for supporting IVF. She also is a guest on an episode of the Pints with Aquinas Podcast with Matt Fradd where they discuss this topic in depth.
May we not be afraid to share that life is always a beautiful gift from God, not a product to be created based on desires.
“Each of us is called to be a witness to the Gospel of Life, proclaiming in word and deed the innate goodness and dignity of every human person” (Thomas).
Thomas, Daniel E. 2025 Respect Life Month Statement. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Oct. 2025, https://www.usccb.org/resources/2025-respect-life-month-statement.
Faith and The Good Stuff 