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Birth and Death

Infertility/Embryology

Read through the following pages:

• Faithnet's Bioethics page
• The GCSE RE Site's Artificial Insemination and Genetic Engineering page
• Summary of the Roman Catholic Church's views

You might be asked this sort of question [2000 Q3]:

(a)   Describe and explain Christian attitudes towards the use of embryos for research.     [8]

Try answering the following question - it hasn't come up yet, but I wouldn't be surprised to see this topical issue in this year's paper.

(b)    Describe and explain how a Christian couple might respond to childlessness    [8]

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Try answering the question above on embryology - to help you, here's a brief definition:

Embryology 

During IVF treatment, women are given drugs to help them produce more eggs - sometimes as many as 20 at a time.  As a result, spare embryos are produced.  By carrying out research on these embryos, doctors can improve the success rate of IVF.  This research carried out on embryos is called Embryology. 

You need to EXPLAIN the Christian attitudes.  For example, Catholics are against embryology because they believe the foetus is a distinct human being from the moment of conception.  The Church of England accepts embryology up to 14 days because the embryo can still split to form twins at this stage.