Is a fertilized egg (embryo) life, and can any memorial service be held?

Due to my husband's oligospermia, I underwent microinsemination with infertility treatment and created a fertilized egg.
Fortunately, I was able to give birth to two children relatively early.
However, I'm concerned about embryos that didn't even become fetuses.

13 were in a state where they were finally able to return to the body
The one in the best condition was immediately implanted, and the rest were frozen and stored.

The doctor said, “Since there are 6 tubes to be stored, I will store 2 at a time,”
I asked, “I want to avoid twins as much as possible, so choose 6 from those in good condition and freeze them one by one.”

Eventually, she became pregnant and gave birth to her first child with fresh eggs
Pregnant and giving birth for the second time with a frozen egg

Frozen egg implantation failed once (no implantation),
Another one died when it was thawed,
There was no choice but to dispose of the rest two years after the procedure due to the clinic's policy.

First of all, there is a sense of embarrassment that they “sorted” during the cryopreservation stage
Things that didn't turn into a fetus due to failure
I thought about things that were discarded even though they might have died if I put them back in my stomach

I start to think that it will be September when I had the treatment every year, and I feel depressed.
For me, I would like to set the day of treatment as a “memorial day” so that at least I don't forget my existence.
My husband was sympathetic at first, but recently he completely forgot to mark his calendar and ask “What's this?” I'm asking.

Is a fertilized egg life? Is there anything I can do for you?

5 Zen Responses

Let's ask them to give you sutras (^-^)

You have a very kind heart. (^^)
If that's the case, I think it would be nice if they had a memorial service.
Let's ask them to give you sutras and clear up what's in your own heart. It is important that you be free from your worries, both for your children and for the sake of your zygotes.
It's best to take life and make a memorial service.

It's a difficult problem.

Dear EY
Good evening
It is a matter of course in the era when Buddhist teachings were explained, but there are no techniques such as microinsemination, and since life is conceived after the end of the life span of a previous life in the Buddhist scriptures, it is impossible to say with certainty whether life enters when inseminated outside the body or whether life enters the womb.
However, I think it's a good thing for a married couple to have children and think in their hearts that a fertilized egg with part of their lives combined is an alter ego for the two of them.
It is said that when consciousness that has ended the lifespan of a previous life enters the womb of a mother in this life, it causes special feelings in a group of men and women who are on good terms.
I think it would be great if the two of them would raise children who are being born on good terms, have a heart that makes them feel important, and view the lives they have been consulted about as a relationship to build a good family.

It's life, and we can remember it.

Nice to meet you, EY. My name is Ishida.

“Is a zygote (embryo) life or not?” It seems that EY himself answered the question with the latter half of the question. In other words, it's life. Also, in the latter half of the question, “Can we do a memorial service?” It seems that EY is also giving direction to the question. I think I can do it.

I support that way of thinking.

In Buddhism, death and life are not considered separately. Death and life are continuous, and I see them as two sides of the same coin. The reason and cause of death is not an illness or accident, but rather “because I was born.”

From the viewpoint of Buddhism, a fertilized egg (embryo) is regarded as the same life as many lives that arise due to cause and relationship, and eventually end.

A fertilized egg (embryo) is a “life” with such a possibility that it was born from the union of sperm and egg, eventually growing into a human individual, running out of relationship with this world, and eventually ending.

What shocked iPS cells was that, while ES cells are derived from zygotes (embryos), iPS cells are derived from zygotes in the birth process and research process of that concept, and do not require zygotes (embryos) for physical generation and existence.

Can so-called “infertility treatment” really be called “treatment”? Including that, I understand that even though there are cases where generation and destruction of human embryos is essential as they go through the various stages of “treatment,” the fact that only facts tend to progress without sufficient explanation or understanding, leaving the ethical part behind, is still a major global issue.

Recently, Susumu Shimazono asked, “Can I 'create' life?” (NHK Publishing) has been published. They are dealing with related issues. It may (or may not) help your heart in some way. If you don't mind, go ahead.

There are various ways of thinking about “memorial services” depending on the denomination. There are no memorial services or memorial services in my denomination, but “remembrance” can also be done for fertilized eggs. It's a private matter, but I myself have a similar anniversary. My wife and I intend to pay a small tribute to those who want to grow older than fertilized eggs. The two of us will accept it. However, from now on, it may be a memorial in the form of integration on another day.

I think it's really painful.

I also think of it as “life.”

The reason he died was often counted years old (full age +1 year old)
I've heard that this is in addition to the time it was in my mother's stomach.
If you think so,
If life begins after fertilization,
People in the olden days probably thought about it.

The person who died
No matter how old you are
Whatever the cause of death,
Everyone is saved by the Buddha and becomes a Buddha.
Those fertilized eggs have also attained Buddhahood.

Not only the feeling of “sorry,”
With thanks for saying “thank you,”
I hope you can make a memorial service.

Let's put our hands together, believing in happiness and reunion

There is a Buddhist book called “Abidan Mattasangaha” written in Sri Lanka in the 11th century. Among them, it is written about the beginning of life, “the 1st week is carrara (purified water), the 2nd week it becomes foam, the 3rd week it becomes a soft piece of meat, the 4th week it becomes a hard piece of meat shaped like an egg, and the hump that becomes a limb is formed in the 5th week...” It's an amazing statement in an age where there are no echoes or microscopes. My teacher taught me that since carara is formed by combining parents' sperm and eggs and putting feelings (heart) into it, it is life from the moment of fertilization.

Well, since I gave birth to my first daughter, I have had 3 miscarriages.
When it came to the third time, I was careful, rested, and even though I was hospitalized for an injection to prevent miscarriage, and grew a lot until I could see the movement of my hands and feet, I passed away. I'm depressed. What came after that were the twins. Even so, the risk of being a twin is high, and growth is slow. I had no idea they would both be able to give birth safely... but they were born. I grew up strong and came out into this world so that I could repel the worries of those around me.

The doctor will help prepare the environment. They make a judgment of “high possibility or low possibility” based on appearance. But in the end, I wonder if that child has the power to be born, and whether they have that kind of business. That's what I felt.

I think the feeling about discarded embryos is natural.
It's hard to say, but I think the 3 children I gave birth to in this world and the 3 children I didn't give birth to are all my children. A 4-week-old child lived 4 weeks' worth of life, and an 8-week-old child lived 8 weeks' worth of life to the fullest. That's enough. I wasn't able to see it with my eyes, but since it's a life that showed me as a mother with good works that only come from the human world, I'm sure they will continue to be involved in some form in past and future generations...

I think EY's life that people can continue to cherish is happiness. If possible, I would like you to join hands not with the sadness of saying “sorry,” but by believing that they are spending a happy time in the next world and that we will be able to meet again in a different form.

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