With nearly two out of every 100 children born in the US being conceived through IVF, the overturning of Roe v. Wade is going to have an effect on many individuals and couples’ IVF treatments. The biggest effect is that a lot of people who wanted to start or expand their family may not be able to do that anymore. They may have already paid a lot of money, and undergone a lot of medical procedures, but all the work toward creating a family will have to stop if they live in an area where abortion rights are being curtailed. Keep reading to learn 3 ways overturning Roe v. Wade will impact IVF treatments.
1. IVF could end up prohibited in some states
A lot of states that will ban abortion will make it impossible for IVF to continue, since it would be ruled that the embryo has rights from the very moment of conception. But IVF isn’t an exact science. There are often abnormalities, and it can take several cycles to create a successful pregnancy. It’s not possible to give every embryo rights.
2. Extra embryos are often destroyed
Once an individual or a couple is done with IVF, or when embryos are abnormal, extra embryos are generally destroyed. With an abortion ban in place, that wouldn’t be possible because those embryos would have rights. Most doctors would stop performing IVF at that point, because they wouldn’t be able to keep all the embryos or ensure that they were treated as people with rights at that point in the process.
3. The future of IVF looks uncertain
One of the most important things to note about IVF and the overturning of Roe v. Wade is that the Supreme Court’s decision means that the future of an important reproduction practice is uncertain, and in jeopardy. In states with abortion bans, individuals and couples could be facing an uphill battle in their ongoing efforts to start or add to their families, and doctors who continue to perform IVF could be putting their practices at risk.
If you have any questions about in vitro fertilization or you are ready to begin the IVF process, please contact us today. We are happy to guide you on the path to parenthood!
