U.S. adults support in vitro fertilization (IVF) in general but are more divided about destroying embryos created in the process.
“Navigating the deep pains and realities of infertility can be quite daunting and overwhelming,” Thacker told Lifeway Research. “While the desire for children is both good and godly, we must think deeply about the ethical complexities of artificial reproductive technologies. This is especially true with the routine practice of IVF as it relates to both the sanctity of life—no matter the stage of development or location—as well as God’s good design for marriage and procreation. Just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should.”
Jason Thacker, ERLC Senior Fellow and Director of the Research Institute
The assisted reproductive technology procedure involves fertilizing an egg with sperm in a laboratory dish and then implanting the egg in a woman seeking to get pregnant. Around 2% of births each year in the U.S., or almost 100,000, involve IVF, according to the CDC. Because the process frequently involves creating numerous fertilized eggs that are often not implanted in the womb, IVF has sparked reactions from both political and religious bodies.
The Alabama Supreme Court ruled the embryos created in the process should be legally protected under state law. At the 2024 Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Annual Meeting, messengers from churches approved a non-binding resolution that encourages Southern Baptists to consider the ethical implications of assisted reproductive technologies. The resolution noted that IVF “routinely generates more embryos than can safely be implanted, thus resulting in the continued freezing, stockpiling, and ultimate destruction of human embryos.”
Read the full Baptist Press article here.
