Is IVF(In Vitro Fertilization) permissible In Shari'ah?

Question:

Is IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) permissible in Shariah?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
The natural way of conceiving a child is when the married couple engage in intercourse. During this period, the sperm from the male is ejaculated into the uterus of the female. Here, the sperm meets the eggs of the female resulting in pregnancy. However, when conceiving a child through the natural way becomes impossible for some couples due to medical reasons, the development and advancement of technology has found an alternative solution to this problem. The alternative solution is known as IVF (In Vitro Fertilization).

During the IVF procedure, the eggs from the ovaries are removed using a hollow needle. This procedure is known as ‘follicular aspiration’. The eggs are retrieved through a minor surgical procedure that uses ultrasound imaging to guide a hollow needle through the pelvic cavity. On the other hand, sperms from the male are collected through ejaculation. Once the eggs and sperms are collected, they are manually combined together outside the human body in a laboratory in order to achieve fertilization. This may be done in two ways.

1. The eggs and sperm are placed in an incubator where they combine on their own.

2. In some cases, when the chances of the eggs and sperm combining on their own are very low, another process called ‘intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)’ is used. In this process, the sperm is injected directly into the eggs using a microscopic needle.

Thereafter, the eggs are monitored until fertilization takes place. Once this occurs, the fertilized eggs are considered embryos. Within six days or less, the embryos are transferred back into the uterus of the female. The transfer process involves a speculum which is inserted into the vagina to expose the cervix. A predetermined number of embryos are suspended in fluid and gently placed through a catheter into the womb. From this point onwards, the embryos continue to grow on their own until the child is delivered. [1]

There is no doubt that there are many risks and harms associated with the IVF procedure. Hereunder are few:

· Multiple births (delivering multiple babies at one time)
· Premature labor and delivery
· Miscarriage
· Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
· Ectopic pregnancy
· Anxiety disorders
· Maternal hemorrhage
· High blood pressure
· Gestational diabetes
· Severe pain or swelling in the abdomen
· Severe nausea or vomiting
· Decreased urinary frequency
· Shortness of breath
· Ten pound weight gain within three to five days
· Blood vessel damages
· Bladder damage
· Constant bleeding
· Infection
· Cramping
· Bowel
· Success rate of conceiving a child is only 30% if the woman is under the age of 35 and only 5% if the woman is between the ages of 35-45.

The IVF procedure is not permissible in Shariah due to several reasons:

1. It is not permissible to expose ones private parts except in situations where there is a dire need such as severe injuries and pain or in a situation where a person’s life is threatened etc. Even in such extreme conditions, a person is only permitted to expose his/her private parts up to the extent of the need. Exposing more than the required amount will result in the person being sinful. [2] There is no Shari’ need in going through an IVF procedure to conceive a child. In fact, it is against the dictates of shame and modesty for one to reveal his/her private parts to others without a valid Shari’ reason. The Fuqaha (jurists) have explained this very clearly. [3]

2. There are high possibilities of multiple health risks involved in the IVF procedure. It is not permissible for one to undergo something in which a person’s life and health is endangered.[4]

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Abdul Hannan Nizami,
Student Darul Iftaa
Chicago, USA

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

(محمود الفتاوي لمفتي احمد خان بوري، ج4ص722، مكتبة انور)

(فتاوي رحيميه، ج10ص179، دار الاشاعت)

(فتاوي محموديه، ج18ص324، ادارة القرآن)

(احسن الفتاوي، ج8ص214، سعيد)

(عصر حاضر كي بيجيده مسائل اور ان كا حل، ج2ص532، الطاف ايند سنز)

(عصر حاضر كي بيجيده مسائل اور ان كا حل، ج2ص533، الطاف ايند سنز)

[1] http://www.webmd.com/infertility-and-reproduction/guide/in-vitro-fertilization

http://infertility.about.com/od/ivf/a/What-Is-Ivf-in-vitro-fertilization.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_vitro_fertilisation

http://www.americanpregnancy.org/infertility/ivf.html

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Fertility/Pages/IVFexplained.aspx

http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/In_vitro_fertilisation

[2] مَا أُبِيحَ لِلضَّرُورَةِ يُقَدَّرُ بِقَدْرِهَا (الأشباه والنظائر لابن نجيم، ص73، دار الكتب العلمية)

[3] وَالحَيَاءُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الإِيمَانِ (صحيح البخاري، ج1ص11، دار طوق النجاة)

وَقَالَ فِي الْجَوْهَرَةِ: إذَا كَانَ الْمَرَضُ فِي سَائِرِ بَدَنِهَا غَيْرَ الْفَرْجِ يَجُوزُ النَّظَرُ إلَيْهِ عِنْدَ الدَّوَاءِ، لِأَنَّهُ مَوْضِعُ ضَرُورَةٍ، وَإِنْ كَانَ فِي مَوْضِعِ الْفَرْجِ، فَيَنْبَغِي أَنْ يُعَلِّمَ امْرَأَةً تُدَاوِيهَا فَإِنْ لَمْ تُوجَدْ وَخَافُوا عَلَيْهَا أَنْ تَهْلِكَ أَوْ يُصِيبَهَا وَجَعٌ لَا تَحْتَمِلُهُ يَسْتُرُوا مِنْهَا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ إلَّا مَوْضِعَ الْعِلَّةِ ثُمَّ يُدَاوِيهَا الرَّجُلُ وَيَغُضُّ بَصَرَهُ مَا اسْتَطَاعَ إلَّا عَنْ مَوْضِعِ الْجُرْحِ اهـ فَتَأَمَّلْ وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّ " يَنْبَغِيَ " هُنَا لِلْوُجُوبِ (الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار)، ج6ص371، دار الفكر)

[4] وَلَا تُلْقُوا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ (القرآن 2: 195)

(محمود الفتاوي لمفتي احمد خان بوري، ج4ص722، مكتبة انور)

(فتاوي رحيميه، ج10ص179، دار الاشاعت)

(فتاوي محموديه، ج18ص324، ادارة القرآن)

(احسن الفتاوي، ج8ص214، سعيد)

(عصر حاضر كي بيجيده مسائل اور ان كا حل، ج2ص532، الطاف ايند سنز)

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