Democrats have recently been pushing to protect IVF, but Republicans in the Senate have rejected a bill that would have offered those protections. While this doesn’t come as a surprise to those who know how both sides of the aisle feel about reproductive rights, it’s a blow to couples and individuals who need IVF to create or expand their families.

One of the reasons this bill was so important is that it is part of a series of healthcare bills that Democrats such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have promised to bring up over the summer as a lead-up to the November election. The goal is to create issues for the Republican party and show them as less desirable candidates due to their lack of protection for IVF and other reproductive healthcare needs.

The Right to IVF Act was considered in the Senate, and the bill would have stopped states from restricting IVF. Insurance plans would have also been required to cover the procedure, but the bill fell short of the threshold of 60 votes needed for it to advance. Two Republican senators, both female, supported the measure, with all other Republican senators voting against it.

Schumer made a statement about the bill, saying that it would have been unthinkable just a few short years ago that services such as IVF would be put at risk. However, the aftermath of overturning Roe v. Wade has caused IVF and other reproductive care to be put at serious risk of bans and significant restrictions. In short, women who need IVF to have children, along with same-sex couples and individuals, may not be able to get the help and support they need for proper care.

Earlier this year the Alabama Supreme Court went so far as to rule that the embryos created through IVF are children and that they have rights. There are still legislative rules in place that protect providers of IVF, but the back-and-forth arguments about the issue have led many providers to avoid offering IVF because of the legal risks the procedure now creates.

At The Surrogacy Law Center, we can help you with the legal aspects of realizing your dream of starting or expanding your family through Assisted Reproductive Technology. Contact us today for more information!