The IVF debate in Poland
(cz) Should the language used in this debate about IVF in Poland be more carefully considered? I [the author – ed.] think most people agree that in vitro fertilisation (IVF) is an extremely sensitive subject matter.
Nowhere more so than in Poland, where a large majority of the Catholic population objects to the freezing (and sometimes the destruction) of human embryos. Of course, the ethical and moral side of this complicated issue is something that should be discussed by both sides. However, that is not what I want to talk about today. What I want to discuss is the language employed within this debate.
One in five couples has problems with conceiving and it is likely that this number will continue to rise. Recently, the IVF debate has been in the headlines again as the government has been thinking about refunding the procedure to the growing number of couples undergoing it. There have been many newspaper articles, radio programmes and news items devoted to the subject. In some of them, women receiving IVF have been described as ‘immoral’ and accused of having ‘silent abortions’.
They have been said to use IVF in order to be able to choose their child’s eye and hair colour. Everyone knows that stress is proven to be a major factor in many cases of infertility. Such commentary and judgment must add to this stress. Particularly, for the many Catholic women who are having problems with conceiving. The Roman Catholic Church is wholly opposed to IVF, yet it is legal in this country. It must indeed be a difficult dilemma for many.
Is it alright to say that women undertaking IVF treatment are “reduced just to virtually a breeding animal”? To refer to their husbands or partners as “sperm donors”? Is it fair to say that one “can hardly imagine a worse beginning of paternal love”? more…
From: »Polskie Radio«
January 23rd, 2008 at 09:10
[...] denise.morris@fotf.org wrote an interesting post today on. Here’s a quick excerpt: Nowhere more so than in Poland, where a large majority of the Catholic population objects to the freezing (and sometimes the destruction) of human embryos. Of course, the ethical and moral side of this complicated issue is something … [...]