Infertility Treatments and God
Website design By BotEap.comAre you infertile and do not know where to turn? Either you can’t conceive or you miscarry or your babies implant in the wrong place and slide off into eternity. All of these situations leave you with a broken heart, an empty womb, and empty arms. You may be wondering what’s next? Is God calling us to remain childless? Is He directing Us to adopt? Is it possible that He is leading us to use infertility treatments?
Website design By BotEap.comLet me just say, any of these options are miracles for those of us who experience infertility. Finding the child that God is calling us to adopt is miraculous and amazing. The miracle that God is changing our hearts and giving us contentment for our current situation, whether it is that situation of children or any number of children that is not enough for us. Even giving birth to a baby that was not conceived naturally is a miracle from God. Then there is the miracle beyond explanation, the baby conceived naturally after years and years of infertility. The hand of God is in each of these situations and they are all miracles. Yes, babies born with fertility treatments are miracles. God is still in control, even when we use science to help us conceive, He is still bringing those children together (Psalm 139). Some of the tissue may be in a petri dish, but ultimately He is bringing those precious babies together.
Website design By BotEap.comPlease don’t get me wrong. I do not believe that infertility treatments are the only solution or direction for infertile couples. Just as God condemns different people in a variety of ways regarding how much alcohol they should or should not consume, he also directs infertile couples in different ways. Some say don’t touch alcohol at all. Others say the Bible just says don’t get drunk, so as long as I’m not drunk, I’m fine. The same goes for infertility treatments. The general biblical truth that applies to infertility is that God LOVES the unborn child. Psalm 139 mentions how God is creating and weaving babies in his mother’s womb. Jeremiah 1:5 speaks of God’s plan for Jeremiah before he was in the womb. God values life.
Website design By BotEap.comSo, before starting infertility treatments, we should pray for God’s wisdom and direction. He promises in Proverbs 3:5-6 that, “He will make straight your paths.” We must decide to choose life before facing difficult situations. I would never consider abortion (or selective reduction) as an option because God values life. So when I discussed in vitro fertilization (IVF) with my doctors, I made my beliefs clear. Therefore, my husband and I chose to transfer a few embryos at a time to reduce the risk of a high-order multiple pregnancy. Remember that high-order multiples are difficult for both the mother and the babies. Pray for wisdom when you do any type of ovarian stimulation and your doctor tells you that you can get pregnant by five this month if you have sex now. Consider not only that you want children, but that you want to be alive to hug them and that you want them to be healthy. Ponder what to do with the embryos that would be created for use in IVF. My husband and I knew that any embryo created through IVF would be given a chance to live off a plate. That was a scary prospect when we originally had 21 embryos. In the end, only 9 of the 21 survived to a place where they could be moved. We were only able to hold two of those babies in our arms, but I had the honor of holding 9 in my womb and all 21 in my heart. We trust that God knew what we could handle.
Website design By BotEap.comThe bottom line is that infertility treatments aren’t for everyone, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t for everyone. Pray for wisdom. Ask advice from those around you. Seek God’s direction for you and your spouse. Keep praying for a miracle, whether it’s in your body (carrying a child in your womb), in your heart (adopt or find satisfaction in your current situation), or in a petri dish (through infertility treatments), God is the author of all of them.