NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The world's largest Baptist organization is calling for restrictions on vitro fertilization.
At the Southern Baptists' annual convention, delegates — otherwise known as messengers — adopted a resolution criticizing IVF because unused embryos are often discarded during the process.
As most reproductive procedures are these days, IVF is a hot-button topic.
You may recall Alabama's Supreme Court ruled in February that frozen embryos created through IVF are children under state law.
Babies born with the use of assisted reproductive technologies like IVF account for 2% of all U.S. births, according to the CDC's most recent data. In Tennessee, it's 1% percent of all births.
A Vanderbilt pollster explains how the results of a poll asking Tennesseans about IVF are unlikely to sway lawmakers in the video above.
IVF patients usually need multiple embryos to ensure just one healthy baby. It's because of the number of embryos disposed of during the process that the Southern Baptists condemned the use of IVF. The religious group believes embryos are children.
For some, like Jordan McLendon, IVF is the best way to have children. McLendon was diagnosed with leukemia in 2020. He and his wife plan to consult a fertility doctor about IVF when he is healthy enough to start a family.
"I underwent a stem cell transplant in the summer of 2021 and just through that process we are not able to conceive naturally," said Jordan McLendon.
To get an idea where Tennesseans fall on the issue, I looked at the poll conducted by Vanderbilt University in the spring. It shows eight out of every 10 people answered that IVF should be legal.
"So, it doesn't matter your partisan stripe, there's widespread support with making IVF legal which stands in stark contrast to the vote that was taken yesterday," said John Geer, a professor of political science at Vanderbilt. "And then, if you ask the question: If you think this is a moral issue or not? You again find pretty strong consensus across partisan groups. Only 10% of the state thinks its morally wrong."
Headquartered in Nashville, the Southern Baptists' statement at the annual convention this week is alienating some followers already.
"Even though we don't want to let those subjects get in the way, there are some things we can't overlook and opposition to something like this is something that we can't overlook," McLendon said.
IVF patients can choose not to discard their unused embryos but other options may not be a fit for everyone.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
