By Val and Deacon Gary Streff
Special to the Herald
It is often heartbreaking when a married couple faces difficulty achieving a successful pregnancy. The desire for a child is natural, but many married couples are unable to conceive. In the United States, it is estimated that 1 out of 6 couples has difficulty getting pregnant.
Infertility is defined as “the inability for a woman to conceive after 12 months or more of regular unprotected intercourse.” Couples often seek medical advice from their primary care provider, the woman’s gynecologist and/or an endocrinologist (doctor who specializes in hormonal dysfunction).
There are two types of fertility treatments. One comprises fertility awareness-based methods — known to many people as natural family planning.
The Catholic Church has endorsed natural family planning since the 1960s. Today, this basic “rhythm” method of tracking a woman’s fertile window has evolved into a highly scientifically precise science. It involves a deeper understanding of the reproductive biology of men and women.
NaPro Technology, or Natural Procreative Technology, falls under this type of fertility treatment. It is derived from the Creighton Model fertility care system, using biomarkers and a woman’s natural cycle to determine her fertile periods as well as identifying hormonal irregularities and physical anomalies.
The Saint Paul VI Institute in Omaha, Nebraska, is considered the home of the Creighton Model. At the institute, experts work with couples to investigate issues such as: What is blocking the path of the sperm and eggs to be fertilized? What is causing the embryo from implanting securely in the mother’s womb? Are the woman’s hormones working properly? Are the eggs and sperm healthy? Perhaps a change in diet and vitamins can enhance their viability.
NaPro Technology is a specialized medical and surgical approach to women’s health, identifying the root causes of reproductive and gynecological issues. This method aligns with Catholic teachings, costs less than IVF and has better odds of resulting in pregnancy.
The St. Gianna Clinic (stgiannaclinic.com) is another center that focuses on healing the body naturally to achieve pregnancy rather than resorting to invasive assisted reproductive technologies like IVF. Other resources include femmhealth.org, pioneered by Dr. Pilar Vigil; and naprotechnology.com, led by Dr. Tom Hilgers. These centers offer a holistic approach to fertility in understanding the natural rhythms of the human body.
In Hawaii, contact Teresa Federicks at teresafedericks3@gmail.com to learn about the Billings method of natural family planning. Another local resource is Maile Domingo, president of the Hamau I Loko Foundation, who teaches classes on natural family planning and theology of the body. Contact Domingo at (808) 222-0644 or hamauiloko.org.
The second type of fertility treatment is known as assisted reproductive technology, which refers to medical fertility treatments in which eggs and sperm are handled in a laboratory to help a person achieve pregnancy.
In vitro fertilization is the most common method of artificial reproductive technology. Since it separates the unitive (love-giving) and procreative (life-giving) aspects of marriage, or replaces natural marital intercourse, it is not approved by church teachings. Pope Paul VI’s 1968 encyclical “Humanae Vitae” notes that the marital act of sexual intercourse must be an expression of love between the husband and wife. When technology interferes with this sacred unitive act, the marital union designed by God is lost.
In the IVF process, a woman’s ovaries are hyper-stimulated to yield multiple eggs. Between 10-12 eggs are harvested and fertilized with sperm in a laboratory petri dish. The best embryos, normally two to three, are transferred into the woman’s uterus in hopes for a successful pregnancy. The remaining embryos are discarded or frozen in cryopreservation for future use.
The embryos are treated as potential children and medical property. This is morally wrong, because all embryos are to be recognized as a human person.
Other forms of assisted reproductive technology include intracytoplasmic sperm injection (injecting sperm into an egg), intrauterine insemination, donor gametes, surrogacy and genetic testing.
Surrogacy is very popular in the United States, but allowing a third-party person to carry a child to full term is a grave violation of the dignity of the human person. Section 42 of “Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services” states that “because of the dignity of the child and of marriage, and because of the uniqueness of the mother-child relationship, participation in contracts or arrangements for surrogate motherhood is not permitted.”
The 1987 Vatican document “Donum Vitae” (“Instruction on Respect for Human Life in its Origin and on the Dignity of Procreation”) notes that a child is a gift and the fruit of the conjugal act, and is created in the image and likeness of God. Moreover, when a new human being is born, the father, mother and child reflect the Holy Trinity — the love between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Catholics struggle to balance church teachings with contemporary values. Understanding Scripture, tradition and the magisterium are our compass in living an abundant life designed to protect and bless us.
Val and Deacon Gary Streff are co-directors of the diocesan Respect Life Office.