What do you believe about....

Ans - posted on 01/18/2011

Life begins at conception!

Laura Zoey - posted on 01/15/2011

Hi Noreen, for me, I believe that every ivf 'specimen' is a human life, if I were to use ivf I would choose to create as few as possible so hopefully I would use every one that survived. If I had extra that I knew I wouldn't use I would donate them to an embryo adoption agency, where women who can't conceive can be implanted with a donated embryo to carry as their own.

I do cringe at the thought of embryos being frozen for later, idk how I feel about that but on first thought I don't like it. But then again, I don't think it's cruel or anything since there is obviously no nerves, brain, etc on an embryo that size.

While I do think back and forth about this, I do mostly think that if I weren't able to conceive on my own, I would see this as meaning I should adopt. Now I do struggle with the idea of not being able to carry my child through pregnancy, so I think if I were to adopt I would consider embryo adoption since I love being pregnant. But since I'm not in that tough place, I can't say for sure. But I do know that while the pull to create and carry your own bio child is strong, there are a lot of babies, and children needing homes.....and some could take infertility as a sign to go that route.

I'm sure many others have differing beliefs, this is just how I see it!

Also like I said at the start, I (as a life from conception believer) do not agree with hormonal birth controls that can cause an embryo to deteriorate.

I do know breast-feeding does the same, but I believe that is god/nature protecting a woman from an untimely pregnancy.

But I feel that if we start controling which embryo lives or not, this bothers me.

Hence, I use barrier methods of contraceptive!

Noreen - posted on 01/14/2011

I have a VERY respectful question for those who believe life begins when sperm meets egg. What do you think of IVF?

Leslie - posted on 01/14/2011

Jodi, interesting that you say you're agnostic but the belief you explained is described in the Bible. Psalm 139:14-16 in the author talking to God says "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in the secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them."

Also in Jeremiah 1:5 God says "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you."

I believe that God creates life and that life begins at conception. I'm not sure if that is when the sperm and the egg meet (DNA present) or at implantation when everything is present to grow the embryo. The reason I debate that is b/c there are embryos grown in petre dishes that will never have the chance to grow. So is that a person? I"m not sure. I lean towards yes. But definatley if you are pregnant you are caring a baby.

Maria - posted on 01/14/2011

i believe in number one. Why wouldnt that be life starting i mean thats how life is made thats how babies start idk thats just my train of thought. Also im religious not like crazy or anything but i have my beliefs but yea thats just what i think makes the most sense to me.

Jayde - posted on 01/14/2011

at conception :)

Noreen - posted on 01/13/2011

Before I even read anyone's comments:

I have thought about this a lot lately and talked about it with close friends and family. And I struggle with what I believe. I will start with that I am VERY pro-life and have been as long as I could remember. Even when I was a kid I have always felt that abortion was wrong before anyone could imprint their impression on me. (Mom was pro-choice, dad was pro-life).

Anyways, for the longest time, I felt that life begins at conception. That once that sperm hits the egg that is a baby. However, recently I have thought about it more. Technically, you are not considering living unless your heart is beating. A heart beat can be detected as early as 4wks pregnant. (Right when your period is due). So I definitely believe that once that baby has a heart beat, it is a baby and it is alive.

Karen - posted on 01/13/2011

I'm a 2 for the same reason as Lisa Moreau. Once I found out that bfing thins the lining of the uterus, I could no longer believe that life begins when the sperm and egg meet. To me, that would mean that God designed our bodies to abort babies when we're breastfeeding. Since I can't accept that, I have to believe that life begins with implantation.

Chelsea - posted on 01/13/2011

I believe that the life of my child began the day we conceived, or when sperm met egg even though i didnt know about it till the test turns positive

Savona - posted on 01/13/2011

I believe life begins when the heart starts beating. When I found out I was pregnant, I didn't even want to give abortion a thought until I got the results from my ultrasound. I personally believe that as soon as the embyro has a heartbeat, you're sustaining life inside of you. =)

Lydia - posted on 01/12/2011

conception in biological terms.

but i believe that God creates life and each person was already created in God's mind as spirit and soul before conception or birth.

it is hard to tell when that spirit/soul meets its body, but i believe that it is at conception. both times i conceived i new it right away that there was new life, even though my mind argued back and forth until i knew the fact for sure.

Jeannette - posted on 01/12/2011

I believe that a babies life begins as soon as the sperm and the egg meet.

Becky - posted on 01/12/2011

conception. There are some birth controls that destroy the fertilized egg by keeping it from implanting...I feel that, even though it is early, that is a loss of a life.

Monique - posted on 01/11/2011

life begins when that test shows up positive the minute you know your pregnant or even when you think about it talk about it want it. i believe your child feels your emotions hears your voice, plays games in your belly hears your heart beat loves you and is apart of your soul until he or she can add the outside world to be apart of their personality and soul. Life begins the minute you CHOOSE to have sex without protection. its made up of love, closeness respect and faith between 2 people (even if those people don't last) life starts with them. im number 1 (unless were talking about rape or anything other horrible cases and situations) in witch i believe its a 6 but only if the women had no idea she was engaging in a sexual act or didn't consent to a sexual act can i agree with 6

Sarh - posted on 01/11/2011

I believe life begins when the egg becomes fertilized by the sperm.

Lise - posted on 01/11/2011

I believe #1

Caroline - posted on 01/11/2011

I too am a "conception" person... but Katrina's viewpoint is very well put, and makes total sense to me.. before reading that I never could understand that view when people would say it.. but I was never explained to me that way

Minnie - posted on 01/11/2011

It is complicated, and such a mystery.

Laura Zoey - posted on 01/11/2011

Lisa I too had some worries about this topic when I found out that breastfeeding can prevent implantation!
I worried that we could be creating a life every months but my body kept rejecting it.
But as a Christian I do believe that god has a plan for the way he made our bodies work, and when our body can't sustain a baby it won't accept it.
So, I guess I'm a 1 because I won't prevent implantation artificially, but I'm a 2 if its by natural means that implantation fails.Complicated huh!
Thanks everyone for keeping it civil so far!

Laura Zoey - posted on 01/11/2011

Yes Katrina that does make sense!
Thank you for explaining, it is nice to know all these different beliefs!

Celeste - posted on 01/11/2011

Katrina has a very elegant explanation! I agree.

Katie - posted on 01/11/2011

I believe that life begins as soon as the sperm meets the egg.

Jodi - posted on 01/11/2011

Ok, this may be a little out there to some. I think life begins LONG before sperm meets egg, maybe even before mom was a life. I'm not catholic, or christian, or jewish...I'm Agnostic, but I believe someone "up there" orchestrates life and has planned it's existance before it begins. It's why, even when on the pill, I refrained from more than just the occasional drink, even when on Mirena, I passed on smoking and even after I get my tubes tied I'll follow those basic "golden rules" of pregnancy. Because even when we're trying to NOT create life, it still happens...because that's how it's meant to be. Although I do like Katrina's philosophy about the soul vs biological beings...it sounds quite lovely in it's own way. :)

Minnie - posted on 01/11/2011

I believe life begins at conception (well, before it, actually, because every cell in the body is fully alive). Buuuuut, that it is not really a potential human life until implantation. This thought process began when I learned that ecological breastfeeding results in the uterine lining being thinner. This can prevent a fertilized egg from implanting.

Sort of threw a kink in my spiritual philosophy...ah well.

Katrina - posted on 01/11/2011

I will do my best to explain. I believe that the spirit does not enter the body until that first independent breath outside the womb. Before that you are growing a biological host that is working on reflex, instinct and the most basics of biology. Mother dies so does the fetus. It is only viable because the mother is viable. Until that fetus is outside the womb and takes it's first independent breath it's not living, it is kept functioning because the mothers body keeps it functioning. Obviously you want to make the best host possible for the spirit of your child so you follow all the "pregnancy rules". You want to make sure biology has the best environment to work in.
I believe that spirit stays close to you as you grow it's soon to be body but I don't believe it is inside that forming body.
I had a miscarriage between my second and third children. I met that spirit after conceiving. I lost that body but I knew I did not loose that spirit. My daughter, my third child, was that spirit. Biology didn't quite work right the first time with that first body, it worked the second time.
My friend lost a baby in childbirth. She says she felt and knew that there was no spirit in that body. The baby was never able to breathe on it's own.
I am having a hard time not rambling. I am sorry. Does this make since at all? I can try to explain better if it doesn't.

Laura Zoey - posted on 01/11/2011

Could you elaborate a little katrina? I'd love to hear what brings you to this belief. If you would rather not, thank you anyways for adding in your belief!

Katrina - posted on 01/11/2011

The moment baby takes that first breath outside the womb.

Teresa - posted on 01/11/2011

Conception

Sandie - posted on 01/11/2011

i think im a number 1 too, i wasnt sure so i imagined myself at each stage and asked myself "would i drink alcohol" or any other pregnancy no no's and the answer to all was no...so yeah, number 1. :)

Laura Zoey - posted on 01/11/2011

I guess I'm a number 1
I debated back and forth in my head 1 and 2 because I found out the birth control pill I took could disintegrate a new embryo before implantation.
I talked a lot with my family and most of them believe implantation is the beginning of life.
But I just couldn't accept it in my head, I just feel like when the living sperm meets the egg it makes the whole thing alive.

So my family is mostly number 2
Me and my husband decided on number 1 and we use barrier methods of contraception now :)