Lauren Berson Sugarman’s Post

Many of the gravest threats to our rights are not always the ones that we see, but many times, the ones that we don't. So, I needed to catch my breath after the Alabama "fetal personhood" decision from a few weeks ago, because I was caught off guard. Truth be told, it's not that I didn't see, but I definitely wasn't paying close enough attention and I was (over)confident in my allyship. But I won't make that mistake again. And, I believe that the algorithm is a tool for activism and if this can wake someone else up out of their passive allyship or quiet acquiescence, than it's worth some words here. The fetal personhood bills have been advancing in states across the country for a decade, with the real groundwork laid even earlier beginning with the criminalization of pregnant woman for drug use. IVF is one piece of this puzzle, but these bills have had and will continue to have wider implications for reproductive rights. I'd be remiss not to share that I am a two-time IVF PGT parent and those experiences, as well as the honor I have had to work with parents who have been impacted by breast and gynecologic cancers, many of whom turn to IVF, make this deeply personal. I know personally the absolute agonizing pain in between IVF transfers when weeks felt like months and months felt like years and any interruption to my treatment was unbearable. Causing fear, uncertainty, confusion, trauma and limiting the ability of people trying to build families is state-sanctioned harm. But I knew this was personal and always has been. The article below does a great job tracking the trajectory of fetal personhood laws. And as always the organizations, fighting the good fight need support. Will link a few in the comments, but please add others. https://lnkd.in/gYZYF8Sv.

To degrade childless women, whilst at the same time wanting to restrict options that enable people to have children...make it make sense?! I wanted to share this as an alternative post to mark #worldivfday, especially when reproductive rights are at risk in the US. I have so much respect for Jennifer Aniston for saying what so many around the world are thinking. Why is it that women are still being defined and judged by their ability to procreate and have a child? I felt so much empathy when Jennifer Aniston shared her hidden fertility journey whilst in the spotlight back in 2022. It’s unimaginable to think about how difficult it must have been going through the challenges of failed IVF, all whilst being asked questions with constant speculation about her ability and desire to procreate. Seeing insensitive headlines speculating about ‘baby bumps’ when grieving failed IVF cycles would no doubt have been incredibly triggering and traumatic, which highlights and amplifies how there can be so many hurtful misconceptions and incorrect assumptions made within society. And sadly these assumptions and narratives continue around those that are childless, often childless not by choice, demonstrated through the disgraceful comments from JD Vance. I’m not even American, but the comments infuriated me so much that I had to highlight this and say how pleased I am that influential women with platforms like Jen have spoken out against this narrative. I send love to anyone in the US right now worrying about their reproductive rights and futures, with IVF potentially hanging in the balance. Jen’s story is particularly significant and impactful because it also shows the reality that not every story ends with a baby. That IVF gives a chance of a baby, with no guarantees, no matter who you are - a story that so many will relate to and why this experience can be so difficult. We’re used to narratives from celebrities who talk about fertility struggles with a baby and a ‘happy ending’, but what Jen has done is show that it’s possible to still have a ‘happy ending’ and be content with a different future than that was imagined - shining a light on the incredible women who are childless not by choice, often dealing with many of the same misconceptions that Jen has faced and still faces today.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade in 2022, people are asking tough questions like, What does autonomy over our bodies truly mean in this country? And who gets to decide? While much of the conversation has centered around abortion, the ripples of this decision extend far beyond the abortion clinic. They reach into the private and often hidden realms of those like me who have experienced infertility and relied on reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization (IVF). Suddenly, choices we thought we had control over feel fragile and precarious. When you’ve struggled with infertility, the idea that your ability to build a family could now be subject to restrictive laws is terrifying. IVF could become yet another battleground issue in the post-Roe landscape. Laws that regulate or restrict abortion can often affect fertility treatments, especially when these treatments involve the creation and storage of embryos. So, where do we go from here? Mareisha N. Winters Reese shares her personal experience and what we need to do to ensure a full narrative around reproductive rights on https://lnkd.in/epKHMEcm #ReproductiveHealth #ReproductiveJustice #ReproductiveFreedom #ReproductiveMedicine

🚨 BREAKING NEWS: A new nationwide network, Healthcare Workers for Reproductive Freedom (HWRF), has launched a campaign to protect access to IVF treatments in all 50 states. This comes in response to a concerning ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court that could jeopardize IVF access. 🏥 Healthcare professionals from across the nation, including groups like Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights, Campaign for a Healthy Nebraska, and many more, have united to combat government interference in reproductive healthcare. 🤝 Over 2,150 healthcare workers have already signed a letter urging policymakers to safeguard IVF, a crucial treatment for families facing infertility. This letter has garnered support from every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 📝 Dr. Marcela Azevedo, President of Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights, states, "This isn't just about medical procedures; it's about safeguarding the right to family, the dignity of choice, and the sanctity of the provider-patient relationship." 💬 Join the fight to protect reproductive freedom and ensure that personal health decisions remain in the hands of patients and their healthcare providers. If you're a medical professional, you can sign the statement and stand with HWRF in this crucial battle. ✊#IA4HL #Iowans4HealthLiberty https://lnkd.in/gCBibrWb

Today, on the 37th anniversary of the 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵, we celebrate the global movement advocating for women's reproductive rights and health! Since its declaration in 1987, May 28th has been a day to champion women's health, advocate for their rights, and 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗣𝗖𝗢𝗦 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘀. This is not just a day for reflection, but a call to action. Governments, healthcare providers, and communities worldwide must recommit to prioritizing women's health and well-being. Take the first step towards empowerment – dive into our informative blog post to learn more about reproductive health, the latest treatments, and how you can take charge of your well-being: https://lnkd.in/gdBdHDsp 𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀! #WomensHealth #ReproductiveHealth #PCOS #Endometriosis #HealthEducation #SelfCare #May28 #WomensRights #Fertility #SCABPharmacy

I've been thinking a lot about the latest IVF news out of Alabama and reflecting on the writing of the brilliant Heather McGee in her book The Sum of Us. In that book, McGee lays out how policies that were first tested on Black and brown folks, such as foreclosures in the leadup to the housing crisis, were then rolled out around the country, hurting white folks. Looking at Alabama, it seems like the same thing is happening: The policies first rolled out to deny bodily autonomy for predominantly Black and brown women are now being used to deny IVF access to primarily white women. (Black and brown reproductive justice leaders have been predicting this for a while, by the way) But, as I look at the rallies in response to the issues, I see a sea of white women advocating solely for IVF protections. As someone who was able to expand my family due to IVF, I completely understand why folks are organizing around that. But why are white women limiting ourselves to just advocating around IVF? This attack on fertility treatment flows directly out of attacks on abortion access and reproductive care. This feels like an inflection moment where we could pour national outrage into a strategy to mobilize and push back against this attack on people's rights to make their own medical decisions. White women, we should be standing in a multi-racial coalition and not just demanding unequivocal protection for fertility treatment but an end to personhood bills, a return to bodily autonomy for all, and full-fledged reproductive justice.

Summary: 125 House Republicans, including Speaker Mike Johnson, have cosponsored the "Life at Conception Act," which does not include an exception for in vitro fertilization (IVF). This has sparked controversy and led to some Republicans distancing themselves from the bill, declaring support for IVF. Takeaway: The debate over the "Life at Conception Act" highlights the complex intersection of reproductive rights, medical technology, and political ideology. The lack of an IVF exception has raised concerns and drawn attention from both sides of the political spectrum. Hashtags: #LifeAtConceptionAct #IVFDebate #ReproductiveRights #PoliticalControversy

"𝑨 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉𝒚 𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔" The Indian government has made tremendous strides in improving sexual and reproductive health at the national, regional, and local levels. Notably, important metrics related to the health of mothers and newborns have improved significantly. However, a lot of women still don't get the contemporary contraception they need, and the care they receive after pregnancy is inadequate. The goal of the Adding It Up project is to direct funding towards the fundamental sexual and reproductive health services needed to enable individuals to make decisions about when and whether to have children, have safe pregnancies and deliveries, raise healthy children, and engage in safe and healthy sexual activity. In India, almost 134 million women utilise contemporary birth control. Relatively few of them employ reversible techniques, and the majority (77%) rely on female sterilisation: The male condom is relied upon by 11%, the pill by 8%, and long-acting reversible techniques by 3%. Very few women—just 1%—rely on the vasectomy of their male partner. Just 39% of current contraceptive users receive information on what to do in the event that they encounter adverse effects, and less than half (47%) receive information about the potential side effects of their technique. Even though the Indian government has achieved significant progress in the area of sexual and reproductive health, more funding is still needed to offer a full range of treatments that would enhance health outcomes. Self-care interventions, task shifting, and service integration. Give women who want to self-administer contraceptive methods like injectables and oral contraceptives nformation, resources, and assistance in accordance with WHO guidelines for self-care. At crucial points of contact, enable midlevel healthcare professionals, such as nurses, to properly administer medical abortion and contraception, including injectables. Expand access to safe abortion services, such as medical abortion, with the help and supervision of medical professionals.Incorporate sexual and reproductive health into outreach initiatives and medical facilities. For instance, STI screening should be provided by primary health care facilities, and community resources like Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan, Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committees, Mahila Arogya Samitis, Urban Health and Nutrition Day, and Village Health and Nutrition Day must be used to spread information about sexual and reproductive health care. "𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅; 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒅"

🚨 BREAKING NEWS: Women’s Rights to IVF Blocked AGAIN 🚨 🔥 Senate Republicans have once again blocked a crucial bill that would protect women’s rights to in vitro fertilization (IVF) — leaving countless families without the security they deserve! 😡 💔 Imagine this: the choice to start a family, taken away. For so many women facing fertility challenges, IVF is their only hope to experience motherhood, but the fight for their reproductive freedom continues to be blocked. 🛑 Why does this matter? Millions of women in the U.S. rely on IVF as their only viable path to parenthood. Without legal protection, women’s reproductive choices remain at risk—even in cases of IVF! 💥 We need to stand up for these women and protect their right to medical treatment and the ability to start families when faced with infertility. It’s not just a healthcare issue—it’s a human right! ✊ ⚠️ How many more times will women’s reproductive rights be blocked? The time to speak up is NOW. Let’s demand action and guarantee that every woman has the right to IVF and to control her own reproductive future! 💪 #orgasmqueen #liberatedgoddesssociety #IVFRights #WomensHealth #StandForWomen #ReproductiveRights

"In the weeks since the Alabama Supreme Court issued a mindnumbingly stupid ruling declaring that fertilized embryos inside or outside of the uterus are children — leading IVF providers to halt operations across the state — many Republicans have expressed their support for the procedure, and in the process boxed themselves in with truly stunning, hypocritical positions at fundamental odds with themselves. Democrats have rightly seized upon the issue, pointing out when GOP candidates have previously expressed support for fetal personhood. If an embryo is a child, the argument goes, then IVF is inherently under threat, because it often requires discarding fertilized eggs that are not viable. Setting aside the purely political considerations, Republicans announcing support for IVF only raises further questions about what that endorsement means. For example, if every frozen embryo is a child, should a mother be required to carry it, even if physicians know it is nonviable and will result in a miscarriage? How should frozen embryos be handled? Panicked Republicans sensing real ballot-box danger are scrambling to bring back a greatest hit from yesteryear: States' rights! Ah, yes. Let the states handle it. Reproductive rights are simply too important to be dealt with at the federal level, folks. We must therefore let the states determine what is best. Because if there's one thing that trumps science, healthcare, and decades of cumulative medical expertise, it's arbitrary geographical boundaries."