What Should Be Done With “Orphaned” Frozen Embryos?: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) with Magisterial Answers Quoted Directly from Donum Vitae and Dignitas Personae
by Dr. Alicia Thompson and Dr. Elizabeth B. Rex
Written in clear language, this book meets an urgent need for an easy-to-understand guide that reflects the Catholic Church’s ethical principles as detailed in Donum vitae (1987) and Dignitas personae (2008), answering frequently asked questions and demystifying bioethical complexities for those affected by infertility. By offering practical answers and thoughtful insights, this book empowers families to navigate the ethical challenges of assisted reproduction with faith and hope.
Paperback: $9.99 | Kindle: $9.99
TESTIMONIALS FOR A Handbook on the Moral Arguments in the Embryo Adoption Debate, ed. by Elizabeth Rex and Charles Robertson
“What to do with the live human beings who are being warehoused as frozen embryos is one of the most important questions of our time. Embryos deserve to be treated as children, and not as property. They are the last group of humans being treated as property. Dr Elizabeth Rex is a world-class expert on this subject. I would urge everyone to consider her ideas deeply.” –Allan Parker, President, The Justice Foundation
“Although my perspective is heavily biased, I recommend this book as a thoughtful and provocative review of the moral and ethical issues involved in Embryo donation and adoption. These 2 experts have provided thorough and compelling information on both sides of this controversial issue, and anyone with an interest in, or who works with couples involved with infertility should benefit from this work.” –Jeffrey A. Keenan, M.D., HCLD, Professor, Dept. of OB/GYN, Division of Reproductive, Endocrinology and Infertility, Univ. of Tennessee Medical Center, and Director, National Embryo Donation Center, Knoxville, TN
“Hannah Strege, the World’s First Adopted Frozen Embryo, offered the Opening Prayer for the ITEST Webinar that was devoted to the subject of this book. This very vividly shows us that the ethical debate embraced in this book, about whether or not it is morally right to adopt a frozen embryo, is about real people. Hannah went from being a frozen embryo who was placed for adoption, to being transferred to her adopted mother’s womb, to personally witnessing to the reality of being a human person. Let us prayerfully study Embryo Adoption, remembering that this is about helping children, like Hannah, to live to the full the gift of life we have all received.” – Francis Etheredge, Senior Fellow of The Donum Vitae institute, and author of 16 books including The Human Person: A Bioethical Word and Conception: An Icon of the Beginning
“A highly important read not only for those interested in embryo adoption but everyone concerned with the ethical issues involved.” – Ronda Chervin, Ph.D. Emerita Professor of Philosophy, Holy Apostles College and Seminary.
“This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the embryo adoption debate. The essays present a clear and comprehensive look at both sides of this difficult issue. Highly recommended as the first point of reference on this subject.” – Richard A. Spinello, Professor, St. John’s Seminary and Boston College
“The embryo adoption debate is a crucial issue that concerns not only the fate of abandoned and frozen embryonic human beings but also the public credibility of Roman Catholic bioethical doctrine, pitting the charitable and sacrificial object of adoptive parents against complex, deductive arguments for the sinfulness of such action. Dr. Elizabeth Rex and Dr. Charles Robertson are two of the most recognizable voices in this debate. The pages of this book contain a lucid presentation of both sides in a rare attempt at finding points of agreement while clarifying the differences.” – Christopher Reilly, candidate for Th.D., M.A. theology, M.A. philosophy, M.P.I.A. public and international affairs
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Dr. Alicia Thompson, DO, MPH, is a board certified ObGyn who is in private practice in Westerville, OH. She earned her medical degree at Nova Southeastern University in Florida. She completed her OB/GYN residency in Dayton, OH, and also served in the Air Force from 2006 to 2013.
Dr. Thompson was featured Speaker at the 2025 Bringing America Back to Life Convention where she discussed IVF from a Christian Perspective. Her presentation was titled, “IVF and Human Embryos: Finding Common Ground.”
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Dr. Elizabeth Rex is a Catholic Bioethicist who earned her MA and PhD in Thomistic Ethics at the University of Navarra and is now pursuing a doctorate in Theology at Pontifex University. Dr. Rex has taught Catholic Bioethics at Holy Apostles College & Seminary in Cromwell, CT, and was an Adjunct Professor of Catholic Studies at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT.
Given her scholarly expertise in IVF from the Catholic perspective, Dr. Rex was invited to become an Associate Scholar of the Charlotte Lozier Institute in 2024. She is the co-author of A Handbook on the Moral Arguments in the Embryo Adoption Debate (En Route Books & Media, 2025).
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