The Alabama Supreme Court ruling in February reaffirming the humanness of frozen embryos and the subsequent threats by the IVF industry to shut down if required to operate responsibly sent lawmakers into a tizzy. Democrats — and some Republicans — began creating legislation to protect IVF even though no one was outlawing the practice. Pro-lifers recognize that embryos are children, however, the political questions regarding the regulation of the IVF industry itself are more complex. Yet, the issue that sends almost every couple into an IVF clinic and is largely unaddressed — infertility — is finally getting the attention it deserves.
This week, the Senate Democrats attempted to move Senator Tammy Duckworth’s (D-IL) Right to IVF (S.4445) bill. This measure ensures that the IVF industry will continue to be under-regulated while forcing doctors to provide services to which they may disagree. While “IVF” is in the name of the bill, it encompasses all assisted reproductive technology (ART) methods. According to the Centers for Disease Control, ART is defined as “all fertility treatments in which either eggs or embryos are handled” meaning cloning could be covered as well.
Sen. Duckworth’s bill also mandates most insurance plans cover fertility treatments in order to protect Americans “against excessive out-of-pocket costs.” Given that a single IVF treatment can range from $15,000 to $30,000 with an average of two to three rounds to be successful, this will likely increase insurance costs for all Americans and force those who are morally opposed to IVF to subsidize it.
The language of S. 4445 proves that the devil is in the details. IVF clinics are not under attack in the United States. Yet, Democrats are pushing policies that could result in harm to women and drive medical professionals out of their jobs. If the Left truly cared about the women, babies, and families, they would see that what is needed is not greater access to IVF, but research and treatments for the underlying causes of infertility.
Infertility is a devastating and increasing problem. There are many identified causes including polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, thyroid problems, inflammation, certain medications, age, and more. For one in every four couples experiencing infertility, a cause cannot be identified. Too often it takes several years to diagnose and treat the underlying causes because of the lack of research and medical training specific to infertility. These delays, combined with the short window of optimal age, drive women to circumvent their problems by using IVF. Even if alternative routes to childbearing are pursued, the underlying problem remains untreated.
Feminists have pushed abortion and contraception into the public sphere — two ways to shut down the body’s natural feminine abilities. Doctors are quick to prescribe birth control to slap a band-aid on an otherwise treatable condition which in turn creates more reproductive problems when a woman is ready to have children. Endocrinology professor Jerilynn Prior says, “Ovulatory cycles are both an indicator and creator of health.” Essentially, a woman’s fertility is an indicator of her ability to create life as well as the ability to live a long life herself. While millions of dollars fund research and education pertaining to ART and contraceptive techniques, the same is not true for infertility itself.
Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) and James Lankford (R-OK), two pro-life stalwarts in the Senate, are addressing this problem head-on. In order to elevate women’s healthcare, they have introduced the Reproductive Empowerment and Support Through Optimal Restoration (RESTORE) Act. This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to create peer-reviewed studies on methods that treat the underlying causes of infertility such as restorative reproductive medicine, NaProTechnology, Fertility Awareness Based Methods, and insurance coverage as it pertains to infertility treatments. It also expands the Title X Family Planning Program to allow grant money to be used for education or training on treating infertility. The funding streams already exist within HHS so no new taxpayer money will be spent.
Every facet of society depends on the family unit. There are real economic and cultural problems from the drop in birth rates that have declined an average of 2% every year since 2015. But more than that, we must advocate for real advances in women’s health. Giving doctors the tools they need to address infertility and ensuring that women have the education to advocate for their health could create a safer, more ethical standard for women’s healthcare. Eagle Forum encourages the Senate to move forward with the RESTORE Act and place this language in upcoming appropriations bills.