 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Support For Infertility
Watch This Video
| Windows Media |
  |
| QuickTime | |
| MPEG |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|||
|
According to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, infertility affects 10 percent of the population, which means you probably know someone coping with the problem. And, while great strides have been made medically to help people with infertility, spiritual help is sometimes tougher to find. Making a baby in an unconventional way brings up all sorts of spiritual issues. Allysa Adams talks to one couple whose infertility took them on a spiritual journey. |
|||
 |
|||
 |
New Items | Additional Stories | Archives | ||
SCRIPT:
Al and Sharon Pajak always knew they wanted to have kids.
The Rev. Sharon Pajak / Dealing with infertility: “ I had always dreamed of being a mommy, and being a mommy the old-fashioned way, because that’s the way everybody did it.”
But the old-fashioned way wasn’t going to work for the Pajaks. If they wanted to have their own biological kids, they’d need medical help.
Al Pajak / Dealing with infertility: “We started exploring other options with our doctor.”
Their infertility brought up all kinds of issues, and they weren’t all medical.
The Rev. Sharon Pajak: “For me, the faith question came into play later. Why are we not getting pregnant?”
The Pajaks heard from plenty of well-meaning folks who thought they should try other options before infertility treatments.
The Rev. Sharon Pajak: “There’s that sense of playing God. You know, if God wanted you to have a child then everything would have worked the old-fashioned way, the way God intended it.”
As a United Methodist minister, Sharon believes that infertility treatments are no different from other life-saving medical techniques.
The Rev. Sharon Pajak: “We support people who have cancer treatments. We support people who are going through surgery. Why not support people who are living with infertility?”
The Pajaks are also firm believers in the power of prayer.
The Rev. Sharon Pajak: “I always knew I could pray, and I knew that God would answer that prayer.”
Al Pajak: “I used my faith to find strength.”
With the help of in-vitro fertilization, Elizabeth came into their lives, and she’s the only proof they need of God’s will.
TAG:
The Rev. Sharon Pajak has started counseling couples with infertility problems from a faith perspective. She counsels in support groups and online (sharon.pajak@trinityheightsumc.com). Pajak believes it is a pastoral care issue because so many infertile couples suffer from grief and sadness.
According to one study, prayer almost doubled the rate of success for in-vitro fertilization—more proof, says Pajak, that God is OK with the decision to seek medical help for infertility.