Earlier this month, Gov. Kay Ivey, R-Ala., signed the medical protection of in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures and treatments into Alabama law.
Ivey commended this legislation, saying it reinforces the state’s commitment to the pro-life cause. “Alabama works to foster a culture of life, and that certainly includes IVF,” she said in a statement that day. “I am pleased to sign this important, short-term measure into law so that couples in Alabama hoping and praying to be parents can grow their families through IVF,” she added.
But to what extent is providing IVF treatment to families the best option? To what extent does it truly protect the life of the mother and the unborn?
When I was in my early twenties, I was diagnosed with a condition called endometriosis. This condition exposed me to the often challenging and disheartening world of reproductive health care. Because of my condition, I knew there was a possibility I would struggle to conceive naturally on my own, but I was never told by any doctor that I would not be able to conceive. I knew to approach the topic of infertility with a general level of healthy consideration of what might be required to get pregnant. After being married for a couple of years, I sought out a health care provider to get a clearer picture of my reproductive health.
There was no way I could have anticipated the can of worms I’d opened.
Trying to choose between the hundreds of fertility specialists in Dallas
