Modern Ways of Having Children

• Most People want to be a parent , However one in six couples in the UK suffer from infertility, this causes a vast amount of sadness
• In the UK 30,000 couples recieve fertility treatment each year, there is only a 20% success rate and this treatment often can cost around £3.000 per set.

There are four main types of fertility treatments:

• AIH - Artificial insemination by the husband
• AID - Artificial insemination by a donor (some religions see this as adultery)
• IVF (In vitro fertilisation) - this is used when a women is infertile or doesn't produce many eggs
• Surrogacy - Where a women is inserted with the embryo ,that has been fertilised, for another couple

There are many concerns about the use of fertility treatments including:

• Cost effect , is it a matter of money?
• Should women be allowed to have children using the sperm from a dead partner
• At what age is someone too old for treatment?
• Who should be allowed IVF?
• Should homosexual couples be allowed to take advantage of fertility treatments?
• What happens to the embryos that are not used?
• Should parents who are disabled be allowed to have children?

Some Christians,(especially Roman Catholics) say it's wrong beacuse :

• If God intended the couple to have children then it would happen naturally
• Only God can create life. People should not mess with it
• Some of these methods allow for donor eggs or sperm. This is wrong as children should be the product of a marriage. This is introducing a third person and can be classed by some as adultery, which is a sin

Other christians think:

• Fertility treatment is acceptable, they say God has given people the technology to be able do this, so we should use it.
• Some say it's a great kindness to help people to have children, so we should do it.