IVF procedures have received a lot of criticism in the past year, with some states placing bans on the medical procedure. However, Democrats in the Senate have announced a proposed solution that might help protect people’s IVF rights in the country.

IVF stands for In-Vitro Fertilization, and it is a procedure that helps people who are struggling to have a child conceive biological children.  It also involves the use of a woman’s egg and male sperm to fertilize the egg and create an embryo, which is then returned to the womb of a woman to carry as a pregnancy.

Some people, mainly Republicans, believe that IVF treatment is a bad practice and should be stopped. This is primarily because the embryos that are not implanted in a woman’s womb are often discarded or used for other medical purposes. Therefore, these people believe the embryos are actually children and should have the right to live.

The Democrats in the Senate, led by Senators Patty Murray, Tammy Duckworth, and Cory Booker, are trying to introduce four bills into law. Together, these four bills constitute The Right to IVF Act and hope to help people who are struggling with infertility. If successful, these bills will reduce the cost of IVF and the liability for the doctors involved, promote easier access, and give people the right to access IVF treatment when needed. 

Senator Duckworth was quite vocal about her disapproval of the current stigma against IVF, criticizing the Republicans for its negative impact. She noted that it had been almost two years since the Supreme Court reversed the Roe v. Wade Act, which helped people gain unlimited access to reproductive care such as IVF and abortions. She also said that the reversal has endangered the lives of millions of Americans. 

ALSO READ: Republicans, Pro-Life Advocates Clash Over Court Ruling on IVF

Patty Murray, another Democratic Senator, also accused the Republicans of constant attacks on women’s reproductive rights. She described these attacks as constant, with the Republicans putting the lives of women in danger. She also noted that it was a reckless move for the Republicans to give embryos the same rights as living children and also ban abortion rights, which could save pregnant women’s lives. 

In February, the Alabama Supreme Court made a shocking ruling, stating that IVF embryos are children and would have the full rights of a living, breathing human child. Therefore, this sprawled a nationwide political debate as this ruling would allow couples to charge doctors to court for the wrongful death of any of their embryos. This also caused a lot of fertility clinics to stop IVF procedures for fear of serious repercussions.

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While most Democrats believe that Republicans are responsible for the threats to IVF procedures, records show that many Republicans are in support of it. Even Donald Trump, the former president of the country and current Republican presidential candidate, has openly supported IVF. He also publicly asked the lawmakers in Alabama to consider reversing their verdict. 

Since it is an election year, IVF and other reproductive rights have been a constant topic of discussion for the voters. According to a CBS News/YouGov survey conducted earlier this year, 86% of American citizens believe that IVF should be legal and readily available. In addition, some people believe that Republicans, who are usually pro-life, are simply trying to win public favor by supporting IVF.

Just as the Democrats are trying to get their bill approved, Republicans also came up with their own bill. However, this seems more like a political race, with both parties hoping to be named responsible for protecting IVF rights. This can help sway the public during the elections in November and can be a huge turning point for both sides.

ALSO READ: Alabama Governor Signs GOP-Proposed Bill to Protect IVF Treatments Into Law

Many Democrats have been vocal about their opinions on the Republicans who are now supporting fertility rights. As the party has always been pro-life, they believe that they are only using reproductive rights as a PR tool. Murray also said that Republicans will not protect IVF on a typical day, and its candidates, including Donald Trump, are simply hiding their real opinions to get some votes.

Despite public opinion, some Republicans are resilient in their stance, arguing against IVF and other reproductive rights. Some of them have expressed deep disappointment in their members and Donald Trump for turning their backs on the pro-life movement. These Republicans believe that embryos are children and should be treated as such with the right to live, regardless of what other parties think. 

Murray and many other Democrats are also hoping to restore the Roe v. Wade Act in order to protect reproductive rights in the country. At a news conference, she said that her main goal is to restore the reproductive rights that come with Roe v. Wade, protecting abortion and IVF rights across the country. However, she also added that the Republicans in the Senate had rejected their proposal every time they tried. 

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