NaPro vs. IVF

On my last post, there were a few questions about why IUI and IVF are wrong.  I've copied what I wrote to the question-asker, but I thought you all might provide more input too.  Please comment what I'm missing or miss-stating.  I'm not eloquent in my defense, but I hope it makes sense.  There's a lot of ground to cover.  I'm not offended at all by the question ... I just want to make sure I cover the topic thoroughly and accurately to provide good information.

Here's a great link about 10 Reasons to Choose NaPro over IVF

I believe IVF is wrong for the fact that the doctors combine the sperm and egg in a petri dish.  They take the marital act between a man & wife out of the equation.  If you've had trans-vaginal ultrasounds (where they wand you up your privates) or any other test that's invasive or impersonal, then I'm sure that's what it feels like to "make" a baby via IVF.  The doctor has you up on stirrups, inserting embryos inside you and hoping they'll take.  The embryos are actually babies, as the sperm and egg have united and have begun cell division, which I (and other Catholics and pro-lifers) acknowledge as a human life.  Also, the doctor will "selectively reduce" the number of embryos  (babies) that he implants in the mother.  That's considered killing.  Its a crime, no matter how small a baby is.  If the embryos don't take, then the babies die.  Now, mind you, it wasn't the intent of the doctor, the mother or the father to let the babies die, but sometimes that's what happens.  There's a disease that's unidentified inside the mother, there's implantation problems that aren't identified ... and a host of other problems.  The IVF (or IUI) doesn't take care of the underlying health problems that are prohibiting conception.  Its all fine and dandy that the doctor has made a viable baby in a petri dish from the mother and father, but there's no guarantee of life for the baby.  To me, that's the heartbreaking part.  To create a life, with no guarantee of a chance at birth is selfish of the parents.  I would not wish a baby that my husband and I created to not be born.  But that happens sometimes when you choose IUI and IVF.  For that reason, just for the plain fact that my husband and I haven't co-created a life and the fact that the baby may not survive are two reasons that I believe IVF is wrong, excluding quotes from the Bible or other sources.  I don't want to play God.  For us, there are plenty of other children that we can parent and love.  For us, we want to be parents ultimately, not just reproduce ourselves.  There are so many people who have had multiple IUI's or IVF's.  Its not a guarantee of a child.  This is to say nothing to the financial cost of IVF or the turmoil it takes on the prospective mother.  There are many drugs/hormones that the prospective mother has to take to produce eggs and create the proper environment for the baby.  When you mess with a woman's hormones, watch out!  :-)

Regarding IUI's, the Catholic Church has not ruled one way or another (to my knowledge) that this is a sin.  What happens in an IUI is that the sperm is deposited up inside by the cervix, bypassing the cervical mucus (which sometimes is the culprit).  My cousin who has been trying for six years had an IUI, which resulted in a baby.  Although it worked for her, for me, it still negates the loving act between a husband and wife of co-creating a child.  If I'm not meant to have a child, that's fine ... but I wish God would send me a sign sometimes instead of me guessing.  We are still open to life, although it hasn't happened yet.  We're building our marriage and strengthening our relationship the "old-fashioned" way.  Once we have a child, we will need the strength of our marriage to make things work.

If my husband and I can't create a life together, we will love the life (lives) that God brings to us.  Perhaps this is our "signal" that God chooses us to be adoptive parents.  This is not a "second choice" for us.  This is the way that we will create our family.  By choosing adoption as the way to build our family, we are sharing all the love we have with a child.  They will be ours, regardless of whether we created them.  Many adoptive moms will tell you the same.  

I don't know if this response addresses all of your questions.  I'm posting this on my blog so that others can comment and provide additional information.  Please don't hesitate to email me back or ask further questions.  I'm more than happy to discuss anything with you.  The journey to parenthood is rocky and we need all the help we can get!  :-)

You might check out the following website for more info on NaPro:  NaPro FAQ   This is the treatment that I use ... NaPro Technology (aka Creighton).  This uses a woman's cervical mucus (CM) to see when she's most fertile, as well as charting the mucus signs.  In doing it this way, the NaPro doctor can see if there are other health issues that are preventing a pregnancy.  I've discovered several things through charting and observing my CM ... hormone issues, a post-ovulation defect, endometriosis.  These are things your normal doctor or an IVF doctor won't check for.  NaPro / Creighton is about treating underlying diseases in a woman so she is overall healthy, which then may result in a pregnancy.  That's also how insurance can cover treatments ... its a general health issue.

I feel like I've skipped around a bit ... this is a lot of information.  Please comment or email me with questions.  And ... please know that I'm praying for you!