We’re breaking down what the reversal of Roe v. Wade means for fertility care
Many people have questions in the face of the United States Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade. The biggest one for many of our patients is how this decision will affect fertility care options, including IVF and embryo freezing. The Fertility Center of Las Vegas is an Oasis of Hope for our patients and a champion of reproductive rights. As a result, our Las Vegas fertility center is here to help you learn more about this recent Supreme Court decision.
Understanding the reversal of Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade is the historic case that established a woman’s right to have an abortion. With the reversal of Roe v. Wade, each state can now make laws about abortion. As a result, laws surrounding abortion will vary from state to state. This fact has left people wondering if fertility care options will also vary among the states.
A look at the current status of fertility care in Nevada
Nevada is one of the states that will see its abortion laws protected for now. This is thanks to a statewide referendum that voters passed by 65% in 1990. The only way that Nevada’s abortion laws could change is if the state legislature initiated and approved a change and the voters also approved that change twice. Experts agree that this would be a tough task.
For fertility care, it’s important to know that no states currently have laws that would limit fertility treatments, including IVF and embryo freezing and storage. Combine this information with the fact that abortion is currently protected in Nevada and this provides great peace of mind for those worried about their reproductive rights in this state.
Answering specific questions about the reversal of Roe v. Wade and fertility care
Our Las Vegas fertility center team realizes that you still probably have a lot of questions, especially if you’re preparing to undergo fertility treatment. Our best advice is to stay current on the latest laws in your state and to ask your doctor about how the laws will affect you. We have also compiled some answers to common patient questions.
Does this change anything for patients getting ready to go through IVF?
For now, nothing has changed for FCLV patients planning to pursue IVF. Patients living in Nevada can still pursue fertility treatments, including IVF and embryo freezing. We recommend that anyone considering IVF treatment research their state’s reproductive laws so that they are aware of any limitations or restrictions. Patients at clinics in states with trigger laws should consider single embryo transfer and preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) to try to detect abnormalities before pregnancy.
Should women consider freezing their eggs?
With the recent loss of protection for women’s reproductive rights, many women are getting intrauterine devices (IUDs) and hormonal implants. We also recommend considering egg freezing as a way to take control of your fertility and family-building timeline.
What should patients consider before proceeding with embryo creation?
When it comes to IVF, not every egg, sperm or embryo will become a pregnancy, so most patients need more than one embryo to have a baby. However, lawmakers often don’t take this into account. As such, you should ask your doctor about your egg and sperm quality when making decisions about fertilization, genetic testing, and embryo freezing and storage.
Should patients consider PGT-A?
PGT-A helps patients learn more about whether their embryos have chromosomal abnormalities that could lead to a miscarriage or birth defects before transferring them to the uterus. As a result, PGT-A can help more parents avoid having to terminate an abnormal or nonviable pregnancy, which has become more difficult to do in some states.
Does this change anything for patients who have frozen embryos at FCLV?
No, embryos frozen at FCLV continue to be under the care and close watch of our embryology team. We can continue to transfer, store or discard embryos per the wishes of the patient. We anticipate that this will be the case in the future.
In other states where abortion is illegal, does this affect the discarding of embryos?
In most cases, embryos can be kept or discarded in the same way they have been. The laws vary from state to state, depending on whether the laws refer to “pregnancies” or something vaguer like “personhood.”
Should patients consider moving their embryos to another state?
It may be a bit early to relocate embryos at this stage, as we don’t know how states will handle questions about frozen embryos. However, keep in mind that the best person to thaw your embryo is typically the person who froze it. As such, you’ll want to talk to your doctor before considering relocating your embryos.
We are here for you and working to protect your rights
Our Las Vegas fertility center wants patients to know that we are working closely with our colleagues at ASRM and RESOLVE to continue monitoring this situation. If any state laws or activities appear that could threaten fertility care, we plan to fight for your reproductive rights.
We encourage you to keep checking our website, as we will share updates there as they become available. We thank you for entrusting our team with your fertility care!
Contact us if you’d like to learn more about fertility treatments like IVF and how our Las Vegas fertility center can help you welcome a healthy baby. We’re also happy to answer your questions about the reversal of Roe v. Wade.