Another treatment similar to IVF is a form of A.I. (artificial insemination), artificial insemination by Husband (AIH). This process involves the husband’s sperm being injected into the wife’s uterus using mechanical means. Reasons for couples to use AIH are a low sperm count but the husband is not completely infertile, this is helped by the sperm being concentrated to increase chances of pregnancy. Other reason is where the husband is disabled and unable to achieve intercourse. Sperm is sometimes taken from the husband and frozen in a sperm bank and is used later for AI, reason for this include if the husband is diagnosed with a disease, such as a cancer, that may make him infertile after treatment or later in life. Any child born by AIH is considered by law as legitimate.
An adaptation of AIH is artificial insemination by donor (AID), the process for this is the same as AIH but the sperm comes from an anonymous donor rather than the husband, therefore the donor is the biological father of the child and not the husband. AID may be used when the husband is sterile or to avoid any hereditary diseases which may be carried by the male
(a)(ii) Explain Christian attitudes, and the attitudes of ONE other religion to these treatments
Some Christians, such as Roman Catholics, are generally opposed to IVF and other infertility treatments. They believe that a child is a gift from God and that if a person is unable to conceive naturally then they must except that God does not intend for them to have children.
A problem Catholics have with, both, IVF and AI is the process by which the sperm is obtained through masturbation, which is considered a sin in the Catholic Church. They, also, disrupt the relationship of marital intercourse and love however some argue that going through infertility treatments is a sign of marital love as it can be difficult and stressful also that the couple are aiming to produce a child that they will love together.
Catholics main problems with IVF are the fact that during IVF many eggs are fertilised but only a few are used. The remaining are discarded or used in experiments, this is the same abortion and therefore wrong. They also believe that if you cannot have children of your own then you should adopt, rather than having expensive treatments, as the money could be used elsewhere. IVF was first condemned by Pope Plus XII in 1951, however when Louise Brown was born in 1978, IVF received support from the future Pope John Paul I and other members of the Catholic Church. The Vatican, though, has made no statement, on IVF.
Though, Catholics oppose AIH they support it over AID, as bringing in a third party could be seen as adultery and breaks the exclusive marital relationship. It also takes all the intimacy of having a child away, as the biological father is not known. Pope Plus XII feared that AI would turn “the sanctuary of the family into a biological Laboratory”.
Jews, on the other hand, accept IVF and AIH and many accept egg donation if donated by a Jewish woman, others believe this is not necessary and a Jewish upbringing is enough to make the baby Jewish. Rabbis are, also, very supportive of couples with fertility problems. Jews have this attitude about infertility treatments because having children is in the mitzvot and therefore very important as it helps to preserve the Jewish faith. They also believe that God intends humans to use the benefits of technology and that the intention of IVF is to produce children not to kill embryos so discarded ones are justified by the doctrine of double effect and not classed as abortion.
They do not allow AID, however, as it is seen as adultery and a child should know who their biological parents are.
(a)(iii) Explain why religious people may have problems with transplant surgery.
Some Christians, Muslims, Jews and Hindus are all against transplant surgery.
A reason that Christians, Muslims and Jews have this attitude is that they believe in the sanctity of life; only God has the right to take and create life therefore taking organs from one body to another is a role of God. No human has the right to act like God. In Islam this is known as Shirk and is a great sin. All the religions are against trading organs, as the poor may be tempted to sell their organs to the rich and this could seen as exploitation, which is banned in the Bible, Torah and Tenakh.
Hindus also believe in ahimsa (non violence). Transplant surgery is violent towards the donor. It also breaks the law of Karma; a person may be suffering from a bad heart because of previous bad deeds this should not be avoided by having a transplant.
Most of the religions believe that organs are made specifically for people by God and therefore should not be removed from that person’s body. Jews, in particular, believe it may affect a person’s Jewishness. They also believe that because transplants are very expensive that money could be better used to help many people rather than just a small number.