QUESTION: Is it a sin for a single woman to have a child through in vitro fertilization simply because she wants to be a mother?
ANSWER: The simple answer is “no,” but as you might have already guessed, it is a bit more complicated than that.
Results and Methods
Children are a blessing from God (Genesis 33:5; Deuteronomy 7:13; Psalm 127:3-5; Proverbs 17:6). Regardless of how a child is brought into the world, it does not change the blessed nature of God’s gift of life. We can bitterly mourn the violence and violation of rape and incest, but the life that may come would still be a blessing (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28). We can regret the wayward path a child has chosen, but it does not negate the blessing of that life (Proverbs 10:1; Luke 15:11-24).
The sin is never that which God has declared to be a blessing. In this case, the life born through in vitro fertilization is as much a cherished blessing as all human life.
The paths sinful humans choose to pursue blessings, however, are not always God-pleasing. For example, wealth is a blessing from God (Proverbs 10:22; Psalm 112:1-3), yet pursuing wealth through dishonesty (Proverbs 13:11), exploitation (Proverbs 22:16), greed (Proverbs 28:20), and hoarding (Luke 12:15-21) are sinful.
An objection to in vitro fertilization (IVF) is not an objection to children, but an objection to the method. As is well documented in scientific literature and recounted on the Christian Life Resources website, IVF involves the substantial destruction of human life, which Scripture teaches is present at conception (Psalm 51:5). On average, the research shows that anywhere from three to five children die in the embryonic stage of life to obtain a live delivery. Again, we rejoice at the live delivery of a child but mourn the loss of life and the willingness to take those lives for the goal of a child.
Method Guidance
We live in a time of incredible technology and opportunity. It is also a time of great apostasy (Matthew 24:10-12; 1 Timothy 4:1). One of the indicators of the human drift away from God is that we start to treat “a good” as “the good” (Luke 16:13; Romans 1:25), in which the blessing becomes the center of our thoughts and actions, supplanting God. Blessings flavor life, but are not the goal of life.
Sifting through countless opportunities to pursue blessings begins with understanding what life is all about. It is not about the accumulation of blessings (Matthew 6:19-21; 1 Timothy 6:6-10). Rather, life is all about God.
It is knowing that truth and then examining our attitude, which reveals how far we may have drifted in our faith. Scripture makes this point repeatedly: we were created for the glory of God (Isaiah 43:7; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 1:16). Understanding that and embracing it as a lifestyle or worldview helps us navigate this complex world of affluence, pleasure, and opportunity. We look at our decisions through the lens of what glorifies God and is consistent with His will, rather than “what do I want” (1 Corinthians 10:23; 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22).
Charting the Course
It is good to desire God’s blessings, but we face a challenge: the wayward inclination of our hearts (Genesis 8:21; Romans 8:7). Even the Apostle Paul, who was converted by his encounter with Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, and who wrote by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrestled with this reality in his life (Romans 7:19; 1 Timothy 1:15). We are not immune.
[If a single woman’s only motivation for having a child through IVF is her desire to be a mother, then in all likelihood, yes, it is a sin. But when things are more complicated than that, there are numerous other principles to consider. Because of specific conditions or exceptional circumstances, there might be a different judgment to reflect the additional pertinent circumstances, but even then, a single woman will want to carefully consider the merit of God’s design for a child to be raised by a father and a mother.] (added May 4, 2026)
As we chart a course in life that glorifies God in all things, we need to be aware of our own sinful inclinations (Luke 12:15; 2 Corinthians 13:5). Because of these inclinations, we want to usurp God’s authority and plan, pushing things along to get what we think He wants us to have (Genesis 16:1-16; Genesis 27:1-40). It is at those times, when we lose focus on glorifying God and instead pursue the desires of our hearts, that we run contrary to His will. It doesn’t mean God will not make good or blessings come from bad decisions. The Scriptures are full of that happening. Rather, it is our obedience to God’s will that reveals the true nature of our hearts and the honor we give to Him in gratitude, not just for the countless blessings we enjoy in this life, but especially for the eternity He has provided for us in Christ.
We rejoice in the gift of every life. As technology continues to advance, however, it poses more opportunities to slip into sinful actions in our pursuit of God’s blessings. Therein lies the problem.
I am reading this question as a SINGLE, non married, woman wanting to have a child by IVF, and you answer NO? She is single, non married. Let’s say I was single and wanted a child, can I go over to my neighbor, let’s say he is amenable as long as he doesn’t have to take responsibility for the child and ask him to impregnate me? I would think you would say that would be a sin, because children belong in a marriage to one man and one woman. This single woman has to get a male gamete somewhere in order to do IVF. She is deliberately choosing to create a child where the father will never be present in the child’s life for the woman’s benefit, not considering the child who will not have a father present in the child’s life. It is well known that children do better with a biological father and biological mother in that child’s life. That is how God intended it. How can you say a single woman using IVF to selfishly fulfill her desires for motherhood without a father being present, not necessarily a sin. That is a big reach for me and I believe you gave very bad advice.
We’re sorry to learn that the answer to this question on our website wasn’t clear (we have since added a clarification).
As you know, God’s design for families is for children to be raised by both their married, biological fathers and mothers. While we do have positive examples from Scripture of single parents raising children (1 Kings 17:7-24; Luke 7:11-15; John 19:26-27), which show that single parenthood isn’t, in itself, sinful, this cannot excuse defying God’s will in order to become a parent.
In a world of sin, however, it is conceivable that there might be circumstances where, to protect a life otherwise unwanted or homeless (i.e., adopting a hard-to-place child, embryo adoption, orphaned children after the death of family or friends), a single woman may step in to parent. Pastoral counsel will still remind the woman of God’s original design for marriage, but in such extraordinary circumstances, it would not necessarily be a sin to become a single parent.
IVF as typically practiced presents an unacceptable risk to developing embryonic life and would thus involve sin. We agree that becoming a parent through fornication or adultery is unacceptable, as it is a violation of God’s command and design.