In vitro fertilization (IVF) is widely viewed as a blessing by parents of all religions and political persuasions. Fortunately, Governor Greg Abbott strongly supports access to IVF.

But a court ruling in Alabama reopened questions about embryo personhood that had been settled years ago. Unfortunately, a small but vocal minority has stuck to that position, and it has been of no help to the pro-life movement or to families struggling with infertility.

Women struggling with infertility are exposed using religious jargon. Some claim that IVF lacks the “secret of natural conception” or that children conceived through IVF are less than human beings.

All five of Johnston’s children were born in the same IVF cycle and through the subsequent transfer of their frozen embryos. (Johnston family)

Ethical questions like these are often viewed through the lens of newsworthy court decisions or interesting intellectual debates. But that’s not all. The subject of infertility is deeply personal and often painful, especially for women.

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My wife Audrey and I should know.

There are few things as difficult in a marriage as infertility. People assume that if you’re married and want children, you can have them. But that wasn’t the case for us.

We struggled with infertility for five painful years. We tried everything. We went to marriage counselors, met with fertility specialists, and attended prayer meetings.

Meanwhile, friends seemed to get pregnant with ease. Everywhere we went, we saw happy couples celebrating their newborns. The rise of social media only made the pain worse. Our feeds were filled with pregnancy announcements and gender reveals, while pregnancy test after pregnancy test stared back at us with “not pregnant” results.

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We had every hormone in our bodies tested. Every intimate detail of our sex life was medically examined. And the physical toll paled in comparison to the emotional impact infertility had on our marriage.

Jeremiah Johnston holds documents from the birth of his newborn triplets at the Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women on July 7, 2016. Their embryos were frozen for eight years before birth. (Johnston family)

Audrey and I came to a crossroads. We could give up or turn to the modern medical miracle of artificial insemination.

As with many other doctor visits, our desire to become pregnant was a combination of science and faith. Our relationship with God was critical, and we were inspired to do whatever we could to become pregnant, which meant taking the financial and emotional risk of IVF.

Early one October morning, after five years of negative results, Audrey took her pregnancy test on the day directed by our reproductive endocrinologist, shortly after an embryo was transferred to her uterus. I remember Audrey running up to me in our bedroom, collapsing in my arms and exclaiming, “It said YES!”

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Nine months later our beautiful daughter Lily Faith was born.

What a few legislators and judges fail to understand is that an embryo does not always result in pregnancy or develop into a child – whether that happens naturally in the womb or with the help of medical procedures such as artificial insemination. An embryo is not the same as a child. This was true even before artificial insemination. Only when an embryo successfully implants in the womb does a child begin its beautiful journey, one that will soon lead an independent life.

We decided to try a third, and as we went in for our usual confirmation sonogram, the ultrasound technician stared at his computer and blurted out, “One, two, three.” (Johnston family)

I say this as a pro-lifer who believes that every life is sacred and precious.

But I have learned from endocrinologists – many of whom, I should note, share my beliefs – that a handful of outsiders who claim that an embryo in and of itself is the beginning of a pregnancy simply misunderstand the process and hinder mothers and fathers on their journey to having children and starting families.

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Over time, before a natural pregnancy even begins, several embryos are likely to attempt to implant in the uterus as prospective parents attempt to have children. They are only successful 25% of the time. And with IVF, multiple embryos are often required to be successful and officially begin the pregnancy.

If fertility specialists are not allowed to help families create multiple embryos, as the female body naturally does throughout her life, this will significantly reduce the chances of success of the IVF cycle. Or the specialists will be forced to implant all viable embryos at once, an outdated procedure that can be medically dangerous.

The purpose of the pro-life movement is to recognize the value of children and to help mothers and fathers enjoy their God-given ability to raise them. Depriving families of the opportunity to enjoy the blessing of children seems not only misguided but counterproductive. Pro-life means supporting the path to pregnancy, not hindering it.

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Our IVF procedure in 2008 was so successful that we were blessed with additional healthy embryos that were used for later implantations. Lily Faith soon had a little brother, our precious Justin.

Five years of pain, questions and waiting resulted in the five most wonderful blessings we could have asked for. (Johnston family)

We decided to try for a third child. When we went for the usual confirmation ultrasound, the ultrasound technician stared at his computer and blurted out, “One, two, three.” Audry and I were stunned. But his next words turned our world upside down in the most beautiful way: “You’re having triplets!”

Five years of pain, questions and waiting resulted in the five most wonderful blessings we could have asked for. Lily Faith, Justin and now Abel, Ryder and Jaxson have brought more joy into our lives than we ever thought possible. When I look at them, I thank God for the miracle of artificial insemination and for thousands of Christian doctors who are reproductive endocrinologists.

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Banning IVF would actually prevent children from coming into the world, while defending IVF would allow future parents to fulfill their God-given desire to have a child.

This is what the pro-life position should entail. It’s about valuing children, celebrating them when they’re on the way, and doing everything possible to support mothers and fathers in their reproductive efforts – no matter what obstacles stand in their way.

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