Religious Education Topic
Infertility and Assisted Reproduction
- Read notes
- Flashcards
- Quiz
- Confident
Study focus - 3 things
- Infertility means difficulty becoming pregnant or causing pregnancy
- Assisted reproduction includes artificial insemination, IVF, egg and sperm freezing, and surrogacy
- Religious and ethical views differ because the issues involve life, family, technology, and responsibility
Section 1Infertility
Infertility is difficulty becoming pregnant or causing pregnancy after trying for a period of time. It can affect individuals and couples emotionally, socially, and spiritually. Watch out: infertility should not be used to shame anyone.
Section 2Artificial insemination and IVF
Artificial insemination places sperm into the reproductive system by medical help. In vitro fertilisation, or IVF, joins egg and sperm outside the body in a laboratory, then an embryo may be placed in the womb.
Section 3Freezing and surrogacy
Egg and sperm freezing stores reproductive cells for possible future use. Surrogacy involves a woman carrying a baby for another person or couple. These raise questions about parenthood, cost, consent, and the welfare of the child.
Section 4Religious and ethical questions
Some people support assisted reproduction because it helps people have families. Others worry about embryos, unused embryos, donor involvement, surrogacy, or separating reproduction from marriage. The exam trick is to explain the reason behind each view.
Examples
A couple uses IVF after years of infertility. Give one reason some people support this.
Some support IVF because it can help people who deeply want children to form a family.
Why might some religious people object to IVF?
Some object because of concerns about embryos, unused embryos, donor involvement, or beliefs about reproduction and marriage.
Now let's water it
Session runs notes to flashcards to quiz back-to-back.