Championing IVF: Your Guide to the Issues

Lack of access to care and threats to IVF availability are not just 2024 issues. RESOLVE has led the fight for increased access to insurance coverage for decades. RESOLVE has also fought the personhood movement for more than 15 years; “Personhood” of embryos threatens the availability and standard of care for IVF.

Personhood gives the same legal rights and status of a living human being to a fertilized egg. RESOLVE opposes any legislation or policies that impact the availability of IVF or changes the standard of care. RESOLVE supports legislation or policies that increase accessibility through health insurance coverage.

In February 2024 the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that a frozen embryo outside the body was a child, this set into motion a flurry of events that ultimately caused the IVF clinics in Alabama to pause IVF medical treatments. While the state legislature did quickly pass a law that resulted in the clinics resuming IVF treatments, RESOLVE continues to work towards a more permanent solution in Alabama so that frozen embryos are not considered people. Because of this situation in Alabama, the threat to IVF availability is more real than ever before.

Healthcare for infertility is at stake. 2 out of every 100 births in the U.S. is from IVF. This medical treatment is a chance at parenthood for so many.

Yes. There are bills in Congress right now that will provide for national protection of IVF and bills that will increase access to insurance coverage for millions, including our service members, veterans, and people who receive health insurance through their employer. You can ask your Members of Congress to support these bills. Learn more.

Let’s start with what support does NOT look like. Legislation or policies that call for IVF to be regulated through “health and safety measures” give RESOLVE reason for concern.

We ask the question, “Will these new health and safety measures improve patient safety, improve outcomes, and make care more accessible?” If our assessment is that it will not and will instead create more restrictions on patients, then we oppose or do not support the legislation or policy.

Policies that are generally positive are those that promote IVF as needed healthcare and that address the lack of insurance coverage for IVF. It's not enough to just say you support IVF – you must ensure IVF is protected as well as take action on comprehensive health insurance; they go hand-in-hand.

Addressing misconceptions about IVF is crucial for fostering understanding and support.

Here are some key points to consider:

• Clarify Success Rates: It's important to know that while IVF is highly effective, success rates vary based on factors like age of the female, health history, and specific diagnoses. Also, IVF should be approached as a course of treatment, as it often takes more than one IVF cycle to have a live birth. Reviewing publicly available data provided by the CDC and SART Is recommended to understand all the variables involved in reaching a live birth with IVF.
• Debunk Myths About "Designer Babies": Some people fear that IVF leads to "designer babies" or unethical genetic manipulation, where people are only using IVF to have a baby with a certain physical feature (like height or a specific eye color for example). Clarify that while IVF can involve genetic screening to prevent certain hereditary diseases, it is not used for creating babies that look a certain way. Ethical guidelines and regulations are in place to prevent misuse.
• Highlight the Role of Medical Professionals: Emphasize that IVF care is delivered by a team of highly trained medical professionals who follow strict protocols and ethical standards. This can help build trust in the process and the people involved.

By addressing these misconceptions, you can help create a more informed and supportive environment when discussing IVF medical care during this election.

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Talk to your friends and family about the “IVF issue”.  Here's how.