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ASRM (The American Society for Reproductive Medicine)  Provides Testimony to Senate

Judiciary Committee on Threats Facing IVF

In  testimony delivered yesterday to the Senate Judiciary Committee, the American  Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) shared with the Committee the  dangers to reproductive medicine nearly two years after the Dobbs decision.

 In  its statement, ASRM said:

“The  Alabama Supreme Court’s opinion in LePage undermines critical  reproductive health care. Treating frozen embryos as legal persons restricts  access to IVF and undermines the rights of people in this country to make  decisions about family building, including what to do with frozen embryos  created via IVF. Treating embryos as legal children has many serious  practical implications for patients and providers. It means that patients  could face significantly increased costs and additional unnecessary or risky  procedures. For providers, this legal standard could be leveraged to force  them to perform embryo transfers where the embryos have a low probability of  implanting or leading to a live birth. Patients would then have to suffer the  physical and emotional anguish of facing a pregnancy that would never lead to  a living child. ASRM’s concern is that the Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling  could lead to other states following suit, meaning that fewer people will be  able to access the full range of care they want and need, including if, when,  and how to have children.”

“We  thank Chairman Durbin (D-IL) for shining a light on the ways in which  judicial decisions are undermining reproductive health care, particularly in  the wake of the recent Alabama Supreme Court decision that threatens access  to fertility treatments,” said Sarah Bogdan, ASRM’s Director of Government  Affairs. “This hearing couldn’t come at a more critical moment. All around  us, access to reproductive medical services is coming under attack. But  Congress can help. Hopeful parents across the nation need the Senate and  House to pass legislation ensuring fertility treatment remains available and  accessible to those who need it, regardless of their zip code. Today’s  hearing is an important step, and we thank the Chairman and the Committee for  their attention to this topic.”

 ASRM  testimony also included first-hand accounts from several ASRM members in  Alabama.

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