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Was the Southern Baptist Convention right to oppose IVF?

Given the approval of a Southern Baptist resolution (read the resolution here) regarding IVF and the mass of media and social commentary regarding that resolution, I wanted to clarify my stance as the pastor of a local church in partnership with the SBC. At the very least, this is important for the people I serve with as pastor at Calvary. 


IVF is a reproductive process whereby the ova (egg) of a woman is combined with the sperm of a man outside the womb to form a viable human embryo that is then implanted in the womb. The method is used for people who have difficulty achieving pregnancy. According to HHS, in 2021, 2.3% of children born were conceived utilizing some form of assisted reproductive technology (ART) like IVF: 86,146 children in this country. 


Why would the SBC resolve to oppose the birth of children? Did the SBC resolve to ban IVF? The answer to the second question is no. The SBC did not outright oppose it but urged Southern Baptists to utilize ART procedures that recognize the humanity, dignity, and worth of all life from conception to the grave, a biblical principle. That answers the second question if you understand IVF.


Traditional IVF involves the creation of multiple embryos to achieve a viable embryo. Often, multiple embryos are implanted to achieve a single birth, resulting in a high percentage of multiple births. When traditional IVF is used, multiple embryos are conceived, viable embryos are selected, and the rest are discarded. Since life begins at conception, this method destroys human life after conception, the discarded embryos.


There is one IVF method that does not create multiple embryos that are then destroyed. Natural Cycle IVF harvests only one egg at a time, so only one embryo is created and implanted. For a Christian who opposes abortion and is infertile, Natural Cycle IVF is one solution. Traditional IVF would conflict with the beliefs of a Christian who believes in the sanctity of life from conception to the grave because it involves the destruction of human life (conceived outside the womb).  


Some will argue in favor of traditional IVF because of nature. The human egg is fertilized in the fallopian tubes and travels down the tubes to the uterus, where it implants and grows. From 20 to 80% of human embryos do not implant. They are naturally aborted. Proponents of IVF often point out that the IVF process of creating multiple embryos, many of whom are lost or destroyed, is no different than the natural process. Let me summarize my position.


Human life is sacred because human beings are created in the image of God. Therefore, Christians hold all human life sacred from conception to the grave. A human embryo is no less human than a 90-year-old grandmother with end-stage dementia. Traditional IVF results in multiple conceptions and in the destruction of numerous human embryos. Christians seeking ART should take this into consideration as they seek medical help conceiving. They should not knowingly destroy any human life in the process. 


Embryos can be frozen and donated, but that doesn't guarantee survival. They may still be aborted by another couple attempting conception. Adoption is a beautiful alternative. The costs are high but align with those of Natural Cycle IVF. Christians, Christian churches, and institutions should financially support adoption as an alternative. 


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