I was using IVF to get pregnant. Texas' abortion law made me stop trying.
As abortion bans go into effect, discarding an embryo during the IVF treatment process remains a murky area and puts many families with infertility issues in limbo.
When Roe v. Wade was overturned earlier this summer, I felt nearly as queasy as when I found out our in vitro fertilization treatment didn’t work. After months of injections, endless waiting and tens of thousands of dollars, the transfer of our sole genetically normal embryo had failed. Complicating my grief was guilt because I already had a child, unlike those who face infertility. My husband and I conceived our 3-year-old son without issue, so these struggles blindsided us. We had no idea that 11% of couples trying to conceive face secondary infertility.
Following the Supreme Court’s decision, the Texas government almost immediately reinstated an abortion ban from 1925. This old law penalizes performing an abortion through fines, lawsuits and possibly prison time of 2 to 10 years. Beginning Thursday, when Texas’ severe trigger law takes effect, the stakes will grow even higher. Providing an abortion will be categorized as a first-degree felony, punishable by up to life in prison.
While I understood these new restrictions would have dire consequences for human rights, pregnancy safety and miscarriage care, it took a moment for me to realize the harm they could also place on IVF.
While I understood these new restrictions would have dire consequences for human rights, pregnancy safety and miscarriage care, it took a moment for me to realize the harm they could also place on IVF, which my husband and I had hoped to pursue again soon.
Now, our plans are on hold.
Rating: 5