Black twins to white parents? Custody disputes over frozen embryos? An embryo superstore? This summer season's fertility fiascos have further highlighted the fact that the end of providing infertile couples with babies, does not justify unethical means (Romans 3:8).

Whilst welcoming ethical technologies to help infertile couples my own sympathies in responding to many of today's infertility dilemmas lie with the Irishman who when asked for directions said 'I wouldn't start from here'. In making provision for egg donation and embryo freezing, disposal and experimentation the 1991 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act opened a Pandora's box of ludicrous scenarios. We are still living with the consequences.

I continue to have severe misgivings about any infertility techniques that involve creating 'spare' human embryos for freezing, research or disposal. In God's economy, the strong make sacrifices for the weak, not vice versa! (Philippians 2:5-8) And to my mind enabling unmarried (or homosexual) couples to conceive, or using donated eggs (or sperm) threatens the 'lifelong', 'heterosexual', 'monogamy' and 'nurture' aspects of the marriage bond that God has ordained (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6).

Rather than opening the floodgates to allow what we are now seeing, we would have done far better to reduce the appalling tide of 180,000 abortions a year in England and Wales (thereby encouraging adoption) and to seek treatments (and preventions) for infertility which respect both the humanity of the human embryo and the integrity of marriage.