IVF treatment faces 'clear and present danger' from US anti-abortion effort

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

IVF treatment faces ‘clear and present danger’ from US anti-abortion effort

Warning from reproductive rights advocate comes as US states pass or debate legislation that would give full rights to embryos

Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Washington
@skirchy
Thu 12 May 2022 07.30 BST
Last modified on Thu 12 May 2022 07.31

In vitro fertilization treatment is facing a “clear and present danger” and could be a “casualty” of some of the proposed anti-abortion laws that are emerging across the US, according to a key advocate of reproductive medicine.

The warning comes as US states, including Louisiana, have passed or are debating new proposed legislation that would give full rights to embryos, which in some cases means fertilized eggs, created in the process of IVF and not implanted in a woman, would have the same legal rights as children.

“What we’re seeing is that in their fervor to curry the most favor with the forced birth movement, politicians are crafting some really sloppily worded legislation,” said Sean Tipton, the chief advocacy and policy officer of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. “There is a fever to be as restrictive as you can.”

Experts say that the passage of so-called “personhood” laws, which give rights to fertilized eggs, could dramatically curtail the availability and practice of IVF in some states, and could in effect make it illegal for IVF facilities to freeze or discard embryos created in the process.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/may/12/ivf-treatment-us-anti-abortion-laws-bills

[Wednesdays]

1. K&R.

[snowybirdie]

2. Grandson and wife

Had a wonderful son four years ago via IVF. They plan on another child. But they moved to Alabama last year. So sad they likely won't have a second very wanted baby.

[ShazzieB]

3. Anti-choice Extreme Court (In)justices: 🤗😊😇😊😁

"Don't worry! There are going to be plenty of extra babies soon! The 'domestic supply of infants' is about to grow by leap and bounds!"

I'm sure that's how the Fiendish Five would view this. They think outlawing abortion will make it stop (except in those wicked blue states), and all those women who will be forced to carry to term will be lining up to drop off the resulting babies at the nearest firehouse. No one will need IVF any longer!

Women about to lose their reproductive rights:



Extremes: