Toy, thanks for starting this thread. I also wish more christians mummies, even sisters can share with us their views. Personally i have some answers to your questions (gathered when i was last doing IVF).
-How do their church friends or even other family members react to their decision to do ivf?
Well, didnt tell friends and church friends and family but i know my (HB's as well) family will encourage us to go for it and support us for IVF. In fact, my mum will raise hands and legs and ask me to go for it for she yearn grandchildren sooo much. But church friends ... for me, its a no no, i am quite sure. My church is very biblical and they believe in miracle healing. To go for IVF, they will refer to bible and tell me children are gifts from God and it will be given in his time thus we should have faith and trust and pray and wait. We cannot demand God's gifts. My aunt, a prayer warrior serving in the same church and a cell grp leader, was the first to tell me 'just pray'. And if thats not enough, they will tell us to attend the miracle healing services.
-What made them go ahead with ivf? peace from God etc..
When i was in a struggle over the ultimate decision, i told God. Ok i will visit Dr Loh one last time before IVF and let him check my adenomyosis and if he thinks its ok to go ahead, i take it as a sign you approved, Lord. So when dr Loh said its ok, the adeno not bad enough to turn down IVF, i just went for it. Sure, half the time, i still felt guilty cos the way i thought God approved was bit off basis, but then i also believe doing IVF doesnt mean taking God out of the equation or playing God or letting docs take charge cos ... God is still involved in IVF! He decides how we respond to stimulation, how many eggs we should have, how many fertilised embryos there should be and whether these become babies. So, armed with that, i took the big step and tell myself, just try, if succeed then good, if not then i will take it as God is telling me its not time yet. Then i will just rest and plan next steps later.
So i did. Rested half a year now, took TCM half a year, and now thinking might be time to try again. This time see if God say ok or he still tell me its not time yet. If this time is still not the time yet, then i will probably try again next year and year after. I am stubborn by nature, will work out my ruts to get things i desire, what more my hearts' most yearned desire. I cant give up till i have past 35 at least cos by then 5 years of resources (physically and $) will have passed, i will have been very drained and age will have caught up rendering IVF less effective.
-Any difference in terms of health of their babies compared to other babies that are not via ivf?
Nobody knows i guess but the world's first IVF baby is now 30 and doing well and even had her own child naturally 2 years back. I guess if she can conceive and give birth then her body must be quite strong. Anyway, if IVF babies are also God sent, i dont see why God will make them inferior compared to us, naturally conceived by our mothers.
I have some advises from other forum too. I try to paste 1 or 2 here and we see if anyone has similar views.
