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Sen. Tammy Duckworth and former First Lady Michelle Obama both shared their experiences with IVF during the Democratic National Convention, highlighting its importance for family planning. Despite most Republicans claiming to support IVF, Senate Republicans blocked legislation that would protect access to it, and the Republican Party’s platform views the 14th Amendment as grounds to challenge reproductive rights, including IVF. The high costs of IVF, often not covered by insurance, pose significant financial burdens, as shared by Stephanie Biese, who emphasizes the importance of keeping IVF accessible and her distrust of lawmakers’ promises regarding reproductive rights.
On the second night of the Democratic National Convention, Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois discussed her struggle with infertility and how in vitro fertilization (IVF) enabled her to have two daughters.
Former first lady Michelle Obama also revealed that she and former President Barack Obama used IVF to conceive.
“Cutting our health care, taking away our freedom to control our bodies — the freedom to become a mother through IVF, like I did — those things are not going to improve the health outcomes of our wives, mothers, and daughters,” Obama stated.
Although most Republicans support IVF, Senate Republicans blocked legislation in June that would have protected access to it.
The 2024 Republican platform states that the 14th Amendment guarantees no person can be denied Life or Liberty without Due Process, allowing states to pass laws protecting these Rights.
In a February interview with the Michigan Independent, UC Davis School of Law professor Mary Ziegler explained the significance of the amendment to Republicans’ reproductive rights arguments. She said the anti-abortion movement argued that “person” in the 14th Amendment applies from the moment an egg is fertilized, making liberal laws on abortion and IVF unconstitutional.
Monona, Wisconsin, second-grade teacher Stephanie Biese, a mother of two, expressed distrust in Republican lawmakers, stating they might retract IVF support once elected. “I don’t trust our Supreme Court to protect our rights either, considering their stance on Roe v. Wade and birth control issues,” Biese said.
Biese began her IVF journey in 2020, spending over $15,000. The average cost for assisted reproductive services ranges from $15,000 to $20,000, and can go up to $30,000, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Since IVF is not covered by health insurance, Biese and her husband borrowed from their parents and took out an IVF loan, which they’ve since repaid. Their daughters are now 1 1/2 and 3 1/2 years old.
Biese feels both sad and angry about lawmakers potentially taking away her right to use IVF. “Who are you to tell me how to start my family? Without IVF, I couldn’t have one,” she said, noting this will influence her vote in November.
“I want my daughters to have the same rights I’ve had to choose when and how to start a family,” she added.
Michelle Velasquez, director of advocacy for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, emphasized that bodily autonomy is fundamental. “The right to decide when to have children and access to full healthcare is crucial,” she stated, adding that for some, the journey to parenthood is through IVF.
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