I Froze My Eggs Before I Was Catholic: Now What?

This article addresses one of the most painful situations a Catholic convert can face: discovering that decisions made before your conversion now conflict with Church teaching. If you froze eggs or embryos before becoming Catholic—or before understanding Church teaching—you are not alone.

Note: This article discusses eggs (unfertilized) and embryos (fertilized) separately, as the moral questions differ significantly.

The Teaching: A Brief Summary

The Catholic Church teaches that human life must be transmitted through the conjugal act between husband and wife. Assisted reproductive technologies that replace this act—including IVF—are considered morally illicit, even when the intention (having a child) is good.