In Vitro Fertilization
Shaykh Jamir Meah answers questions about In Vitro Fertilization.
Question:
Assalam alaykum wa rahmat Allah wa baraktuh.
I had a miscarriage in December 2017 and was advised that I have to follow up for six months. Once the six months ended I found out that my husband and I both have beta thalassemia. So our children have the chance of having major thalassemia which means they could need blood transfusions every 2-3 months and life expectancy is shorter up to the age of 30.
Doctors have advised us to go down the route of IVF. They said they will check the fetus (PGD) for thalassemia major and if it is normal they will implant it.
My question: Is this permissible in Islam?
Jazak Allah khayr.
Thank you for writing in.
I’m sorry to hear about your miscarriage and your and your husband’s conditions. May Allah transform your difficulties into sources of relief and reward.
Scholars have stated that IVF treatment is permissible given the two following conditions:
- The sperm and the egg is from the husband and wife.
- There is no third party involved in any part of the reproduction process, such as a third party donating sperm, eggs, or acting as a surrogate mother.
It is also important to note that the husband’s seminal fluid should only be emitted via lawful means, i.e. through the wife’s hand causing him to ejaculate or similar, not self-masturbation, as this is unlawful.
Please also refer to the following answers for more details on the permissibility of IVF treatment: Kids in Test Tubes: Is In Vitro Fertilization Allowed? and Is It Permissible to Have a Child Through In Vitro Fertilization?
Complementary Treatments
For future consideration, the symptoms of beta thalassemia may be greatly helped by natural medicines such as homeopathy, which can reduce the need for frequent blood transfusions as well as improve the immune system, which also controls frequent attacks of respiratory infections. Such treatment is often used as a complementary therapy alongside conventional treatment.
I wish you the both the best of health, and may Allah grant you a loving and pious family.
Warmest salams,
Jamir
Checked and approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.
