'Embryo adoption'

We've criticised United States President George W. Bush in the piece we wrote against his threats of war against Iraq. President Bush's foreign policy and his stand in several international conferences should be criticised. But there are also aspects of his policies that should be supported.

President Bush has consistently taken stands against abortion and pro-life. He is now likely to throw his support behind a plan for "embryo adoption", according to the Washington Post.

The report said that the White House is expected to approve funding for a plan under which infertile couples would be able to 'adopt' the embryos left over from in-vitro fertilisation procedures.

Pro-abortion groups, however, have opposed the embryo adoption plan on the grounds that the programme might encourage people to recognise embryos as human beings.

In-vitro fertilisation procedures routinely result in the production of dozens of fertilised eggs, only one of which is chosen for implantation in a woman's womb. The other unused embryos - unborn human beings - are eventually discarded.

Some agencies have sought to promote the adoption of these embryos. One such group, Nightlight Christian Adoptions, has found 23 women to 'adopt' the embryos, having them implanted in their own wombs.

Catholic Church teaching forbids the use of in-vitro techniques that result in the destruction of human life, and/or separate the act of marital love from the process of procreation. But those moral strictures do not apply to the 'adoption' of a human embryo that has already been brought to life.

While some theologians discourage the 'adoption' option, others regard it as a praiseworthy effort to save a life - as well as to provide a child for otherwise infertile parents.