Infertility in scripture, part 1

I found a website that had these passages put together. Reading them gives me inspiration and hope. I hope whoever else reads these will also feel the same. I will post the rest in the following days.

Infertility in Scripture

Hannah's prayers are answered with a son whom she gives to the Lord

1 Samuel 1: 1 There was a certain man from Rama-thaim, Elkanah by name, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives, one named Hannah, the other Peninnah; Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.

3 This man regularly went on pilgrimage from his city to worship the LORD of hosts and to sacrifice to him at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were ministering as priests of the LORD. 4 When the day came for Elkanah to offer sacrifice, he used to give a portion each to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters, 5 but a double portion to Hannah because he loved her, though the LORD had made her barren.

6 Her rival, to upset her, turned it into a constant reproach to her that the LORD had left her barren. 7 This went on year after year; each time they made their pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the LORD, Peninnah would approach her, and Hannah would weep and refuse to eat. 8 Her husband Elkanah used to ask her: "Hannah, why do you weep, and why do you refuse to eat? Why do you grieve? Am I not more to you than ten sons?" 9 Hannah rose after one such meal at Shiloh, and presented herself before the LORD; at the time, Eli the priest was sitting on a chair near the doorpost of the LORD'S temple.

10 In her bitterness she prayed to the LORD, weeping copiously, 11 and she made a vow, promising: "O LORD of hosts, if you look with pity on the misery of your handmaid, if you remember me and do not forget me, if you give your handmaid a male child, I will give him to the LORD for as long as he lives; neither wine nor liquor shall he drink, and no razor shall ever touch his head."

12 As she remained long at prayer before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth, 13 for Hannah was praying silently; though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli, thinking her drunk, 14 said to her, "How long will you make a drunken show of yourself? Sober up from your wine!" 15 "It isn't that, my lord," Hannah answered. "I am an unhappy woman. I have had neither wine nor liquor; I was only pouring out my troubles to the LORD. 16 Do not think your handmaid a ne'er-do-well; my prayer has been prompted by my deep sorrow and misery." 17 Eli said, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him." 18 She replied, "Think kindly of your maidservant," and left. She went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband, and no longer appeared downcast.

19 Early the next morning they worshiped before the LORD, and then returned to their home in Ramah. When Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah, the LORD remembered her. 20 She conceived, and at the end of her term bore a son whom she called Samuel, since she had asked the LORD for him.

21 The next time her husband Elkanah was going up with the rest of his household to offer the customary sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vows, 22 Hannah did not go, explaining to her husband, "Once the child is weaned, I will take him to appear before the LORD and to remain there forever; I will offer him as a perpetual nazirite." 23 Her husband Elkanah answered her: "Do what you think best; wait until you have weaned him. Only, may the LORD bring your resolve to fulfillment!" And so she remained at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

24 Once he was weaned, she brought him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and presented him at the temple of the LORD in Shiloh. 25 After the boy's father had sacrificed the young bull, Hannah, his mother, approached Eli 26 and said: "Pardon, my lord! As you live my lord, I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the LORD. 27 I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request. 28 Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD; as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD." She left him there;

Same old, same old

Things have been uneventful. I'm thinking I might have ovulated yesterday, but my temperature this morning is a bit unreliable since I woke up at 4:35am and I normally take my temperature at 5:10am.

August 15th is the Assumption of our Blessed Virgin Mary.

from Wikipedia

According to Roman Catholic doctrine and the traditions of the Catholic Church, the Blessed Virgin Mary (Mary, the mother of Jesus) "having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory."[1] This means that Mary was transported into Heaven with her body and soul united. The feast day recognizing Mary's passage into Heaven is celebrated as The Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary by Roman Catholics. This doctrine was dogmatically and infallibly defined by Pope Pius XII on 1 November 1950 in his Apostolic Constitution Munificentissimus Deus.

The Assumption is important to many Catholics as the Virgin Mary's heavenly birthday (the day that Mary was received into Heaven). Her acceptance into the glory of Heaven is seen by them as the symbol of the promise made by Jesus to all enduring Christians that they too will be received into paradise. The Assumption of Mary is symbolised in the Fleur-de-lys Madonna.

In honor of our Blessed Virgin Mary, I will be starting a novena to her. I will be saying the Novena to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. I will be ending the novena on August 15th.

Mary, Queen Assumed into Heaven, I rejoice that after years of heroic martyrdom on earth, you have at last been taken to the throne prepared for you in heaven by the Holy Trinity.

Lift my heart with you in the glory of your Assumption above the dreadful touch of sin and impurity. Teach me how small earth becomes when viewed from heaven. Make me realize that death is the triumphant gate through which I shall pass to your Son, and that someday my body shall rejoin my soul in the unending bliss of heaven.

From this earth, over which I tread as a pilgrim, I look to you for help. I ask for this favor: (Mention your request).

When my hour of death has come, lead me safely to the presence of Jesus to enjoy the vision of my God for all eternity together with you.

God Bless.

Being Catholic and dealing with infertility

Guidelines for Catholics on the Evaluation and Treatment of Infertility

"On the part of the spouses, the desire for a child is natural: it expresses the vocation to fatherhood and motherhood inscribed in conjugal love. This desire can be even stronger if the couple is affected by sterility which appears incurable. Nevertheless, marriage does not confer upon the spouses the right to have a child, but only the right to perform those natural acts which are per se ordered to procreation. A true and proper right to a child would be contrary to the child's dignity and nature. The child is not an object to which one has a right, nor can he be considered as an object of ownership: rather, a child is a gift, "the supreme gift" and the most gratuitous gift of marriage, and is a living testimony of the mutual giving of his parents. For this reason, the child has the right, as already mentioned, to be the fruit of the specific act of the conjugal love of his parents; and he also has the right to be respected as a person from the moment of his conception." - Donum Vitae


"How do I know when a reproductive technology is morally right?"

• Any procedure which assists marital intercourse in reaching its procreative potential is moral.
• Any procedure which substitutes or suppresses a need for marital intercourse is immoral.

Reproductive Technologies in Disagreement with Catholic Teachings:

1. Obtaining a semen sample by means of masturbation
2. Artificial insemination using sperm from a donor (AID) or even the husband (AIH) if obtained by masturbation
3. In-vitro fertilization (IVF), zygote intra-fallopian transfer (ZIFT), and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), ovum donation, "surrogate" uterus

* excerpts from the Catechism of the Catholic Church explaining why these are immoral** Articles further explaining the problems with in vitro fertilization and artificial fertilization

Reproductive Technologies in Agreement with Catholic Teachings:

Observation of the naturally occuring sign(s) of fertility (Natural Family Planning). Time intercourse on the days of presumed (potential) fertility for at least six months before proceeding to medical interventions.

General medical evaluation of both spouses for infertility.

Post-coital test to assess sperm count and viability. These tests are undertaken after normal intercourse.

Appropriate evaluation and treatment of male factor deficiency. Seminal fluid samples can be obtained from a non-lubricated, perforated condom after normal intercourse.

Assessment of uterine and tubal structural competence by imaging techniques (e.g., ultrasound, hysterosalpingogram, etc.).

Appropriate medical treatment of ovulatory and hormonal dysfunction.

Appropriate (usually surgical) correction of organic problems underlying male or female infertility.

Resources:

• Donum Vitae (The Gift of Life), Instruction on Respect for Human Life in its Origin and on the Dignity of Procreation: Replies to Certain Questions of the Day, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
• Reproductive Technology (Evaluation & Treatment of Infertility) Guidelines for Catholic Couples , USCCB
• Catechism of the Catholic Church
  

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So, with my husband and me being Catholic we are limited in what technological advances in the reproductive field that we can use. My husband cannot get a sperm analysis because of the teachings of the Catholic Church. Yes, it does bother me sometimes, but I am totally in line with the Catholic Church’s teaching.

I haven’t always wanted children. With my first serious boyfriend I didn’t want kids. But as soon as I met my husband that changed. I want a large Catholic family!!

The Pope Paul VI Institute in Omaha would be the best place for my husband and I to get treatment. There they will actually find the cause of infertility instead of masking over everything. That is what my gynecologist wanted to do. She wanted to get my cycles regular by using birth control pills. Yes, I know I can use them if it is for medicinal purposes and not for contraception. But I still felt it was wrong. Plus, I hated being on the Pill. I was on the Pill for a few years before I was Catholic. Synthetic hormones just don’t seem right. Unfortunately, my insurance at work doesn’t cover the Pope Paul VI Institute. So I will have to make do with my gynecologist.

Borrowed from http://www.catholicinfertility.org/guidelines.html

First Post

It's true, infertility does hurt. I start this blog on the day I found out my friend and his wife are expecting. They got married at the end of June. I am extremely happy for them because they both are wanting to start a family right away.

Finding out this news has gotten me feeling very depressed. My husband and I have been married since October 2005. We haven't been trying, but we haven't been preventing. One would think we would have gotten pregnant by now.

I spoke with my gynocologist in May 2006. She did some preliminary blood tests and things came back perfect.

I don't know what all I can do. I just started my period after not having one since the beginning of March. I have crazy, irregular cycles. I have an appointment for my annual exam on the 31st. I really would like to get pregnant within the next year. We'll see what my husband says about that. We've been wanting to wait, but with my irregular cycles and not having gotten pregant in almost 2 years, my opinion is we better start actually trying now. I've always wanted to have a few kids before I turn 30, that's less than 5 years away.