Senate Dems Demand Vote On IVF Protection

by Jennifer Shutt, Michigan Advance
February 28, 2024

WASHINGTON — A group of Democrats will attempt to pass a bill in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday protecting access to in vitro fertilization, saying its availability should not be restricted.

Their push to quickly approve the health care legislation comes shortly after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that fertilized eggs are children under state law, leading several of the IVF clinics in that state to halt their work.

Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who had both of her daughters through IVF, said the bill is essential to maintain access to IVF for parents throughout the country who couldn’t start or grow their families any other way.

“After a decade of struggle with infertility post my service in Iraq, I was only able to get pregnant through IVF,” said Duckworth, a military veteran. “IVF is the reason that I’ve gotten to experience the chaos and beauty, the stress and the joy that is motherhood. IVF is the reason that my husband and I aren’t just Tammy and Bryan, we are mom and dad.”

Duckworth said she plans to ask for unanimous consent on Wednesday to pass her IVF bill, which as of Tuesday had 15 co-sponsors, all Democrats.

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