I was reading a book where part of the plotline involved surrogacy and I got to wondering what the Church's stance on having a surrogate was. I tried a search, but all I got was hits on adoption. Anyone have any light to shed on this topic?
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"The promptings of the Holy Ghost will always be sufficient for our needs if we keep to the covenant path. Our path is uphill most days, but the help we receive for the climb is literally divine." --Elaine S. Dalton
"The promptings of the Holy Ghost will always be sufficient for our needs if we keep to the covenant path. Our path is uphill most days, but the help we receive for the climb is literally divine." --Elaine S. Dalton
iirc, a similar converstaion at Nauvoo yielded something from the CHI that said as long as egg and sperm were from the mother and father, then in-vitro, surrocacy, etc. was okay.
-- Edited by Roper at 12:10, 2007-07-30
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The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life. - Julie Beck
I had a friend in a ward a long time ago who was looking forward to "renting out" her womb, if you will, to help out couples that could not do it the old-fashioned way. She was letting her own children get a little older first...
Is there a stand on using donor eggs or sperm?
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Life is tough but it's tougher if you're stupid. -John Wayne
When we were doing fertility treatments and it came down to IVF or moving on to adoption, we looked into these issues a lot. After tons of searching on LDS.orfg I found ONE reference that said donor eggs/sperm are strongly discouraged. That's all I could find, period, on using assisted reproductive technology. We talked to our bishop and all he had to say was that the decision was between us and the Lord.
We did 2 IVF's, resulting in DD1 and DD2. I guess it was a Buy 2, Get 1 Free kind of deal, because I just had a surprise DD3 :).
Anyway, I don't know where all of that leaves surrogacy. I always assumed that they discouraged donor eggs/sperm because of possible complications over "ownership" (for lack of a better word) of the child. . . one of those pieces of counsel to help avoid a lot of grief and heartache. I would also assume surrogacy to be the same, but my assumptions are just that. . . assumptions only.
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"There is order in the way the Lord reveals His will to mankind. . .we cannot receive revelation for someone else's stewardship." L. Tom Perry
After tons of searching on LDS.orfg That's the hidden LDS website where they list all those doctrines that they don't want non-members knowing about.
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
"The promptings of the Holy Ghost will always be sufficient for our needs if we keep to the covenant path. Our path is uphill most days, but the help we receive for the climb is literally divine." --Elaine S. Dalton
(Unless of course this changed into some grave, meaningful political discussion, then we'd need a bit more than that...at least the Y-chromosomers would. )
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Life is tough but it's tougher if you're stupid. -John Wayne
When it comes to the reproductive choices of lawfully married couples, the church usually follows general counsel with "Husbands and wives should prayerfully consider their decisions and follow the guidance of the spirit."
I don't have access to the general handbook, but I do recall a member of the Stake Presidency referring to it for a question about IVF. The published guidance was that as long as the sperm and egg were from the lawfully married father and mother, alternate reproductive procedures such as IVF should be prayerfully considered. I don't recall anything about "highly discouraged." Maybe there's seperate guidance for surrogacy. Maybe my memory is not exact. The best thing to do would be to ask the Bishop to read the exact instruction from the handbook. Even if it is discouraged, it's still up to the husband, wife, and the Lord. I don't think they'd fail a recommend interview if they went ahead.
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The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life. - Julie Beck
Surrogacy, like adopting native american children, can cause legal problems that result in large costs for attourneys and heartache for the parents. I prefer not to risk the chance that my child's castodial parent should be decided by a court. There are too many other options I would avail myself of before I would even consider either of these.
Artificial insemination with semen from anyone but the husband is strongly discouraged. However, this is a personal matter that ultimately must be left to the judgment of the husband and wife. Responsibility for the decision rests solely upon them.
Artificial insemination of single sisters is not approved. Single sisters who deliberately refuse to follow the counsel of their Church leaders in this matter are subject to Church discipline.
In Vitro Fertilization
In vitro fertilization using semen from anyone but the husband or an egg from anyone but the wife is strongly discouraged. However, this is a personal matter that ultimately must be left to the judgment of the husband and wife, with responsibility for the decision resting solely upon them.
Surrogate Motherhood
Surrogate motherhood is strongly discouraged.
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The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life. - Julie Beck
Huh. Seems like a shame, if it's available to a couple that needs help having a baby. Almost like an OT type stigma still lingers that if you can't reproduce, you're somehow "less" than someone who can...
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Life is tough but it's tougher if you're stupid. -John Wayne
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