Proposed bill on IVF regulations

This might be more suited for a legal forum or a pregnancy group, but it hits right at the heart of women’s healthcare.
I just can't sit here by myself without expressing my absolute disgust regarding this proposed legislation. It feels like it's going to be shoved down the throats of any woman who has had the misfortune of dealing with a severe inflammation or health complication that leaves her relying on IVF to conceive.
Beyond the anger, I’m genuinely terrified. If this law actually passes, it feels like we’re being dragged back into the Dark Ages. Honestly, it could be the opening act for a future where they start installing cameras in our private rooms and banning anything outside of traditional marriage.
As for those who were "lucky" enough to find husbands and want to conceive, they’ll be forced to endure the grueling, painful torture of egg retrieval over and over again for every single attempt, instead of being allowed to freeze their eggs once and simply use them for future implantations.

Living with endometriosis, I feel incredibly vulnerable right now. I can't help but wonder what's coming next—what else will they try to force upon us or strip away when it comes to our basic bodily autonomy and personal health?
😠

I’m just as appalled by these laws as everyone else. What really stung, though, was our Secretary's comment regarding couples who don't have a "marriage certificate." It honestly feels like we're just proving once again how backwards this country can be. We need to put God first, and then address things like this. It's unbelievable. I truly don't understand why we aren't settling issues like this through a national referendum, and I'd love to know which "experts" decided this was okay to pass without a proper vote.

Absolutely disgusting. That law is nothing short of revolting. And honestly, the worst part of this whole mess? Our "wonderful" Secretary of Health happens to be an OB-GYN. You can't make this stuff up. 🙄

I honestly lost my mind listening to the news today, especially catching part of that debate over at Congress... and then, as if that wasn't enough, the church actually had the nerve to chime in and say "true Catholics" shouldn't go to the art exhibit. Are you kidding me right now? Seriously, why does the church feel entitled to stick its nose into absolutely everything around here? Between those bureaucrats in D.C. and the clergy—forget it. Viva la democracy, I guess! And just a heads-up: don't come for me in the comments. I’m Catholic, I believe in God, but I don't buy into the church as an institution. Honestly, I think you're taking this way too far.

Look, I’m Catholic too, and I honestly don't get this whole obsession with mixing religion into everything... like, is everyone in America just Catholic or what?
Do Orthodox Christians, Muslims, atheists, and everyone else just lose their right to IVF because God supposedly "forbade" it for us?
Seriously, people are losing it.

They’ve completely lost their minds, honestly. Their laws are just 👎👎👎

I can't help but wonder how many abortions our Secretary performed during his years in gynecological practice, especially considering he talks a big game about being a devout Catholic.😳

And as for San Francisco, they should honestly take that neglected property they have out in Appalachia and turn it into a hospice for cancer patients... it would be a much better way to actually live out all that dignity and faith they love to preach about.

It’s absolutely appalling and discriminatory through and through. Personally, I’m an atheist, and frankly, I couldn't care less that I live in a predominantly Catholic country. 🙄 Their constant tendency to meddle in everything really gets under my skin. And on top of that, they act as if IVF is some wonderful, painless miracle where everyone—especially women struggling with infertility—is just overjoyed to have to resort to it. 😠

Laura Mendoza said:It’s honestly appalling—pure discrimination through and through. Personally, I’m an atheist, and frankly, I don't care that I live in a country with such deep Catholic roots. 🙄 Honestly, their constant meddling gets under my skin. And besides that, they act as if IVF is some wonderful, painless miracle where everyone is just overjoyed—especially the women who can't conceive naturally and are forced to turn to it. 😠

It feels like I wrote this myself...
I have a close friend who has been battling infertility for the last ten years. Listening to her recount everything she has endured... honestly, it moved me to tears. It is an incredibly heavy burden, both emotionally and physically, for any woman to carry.
Our entire country is rotten to the core, so honestly, nothing about this whole situation surprises me anymore—not even this nonsensical new law. 🤷

Is there any actual hope here?

Nothing to report. You should head down to the protest today at 6:00 PM over at Times Square.

Betty Bennett10 said:Nothing. Just show up to the protest today at 6:00 PM at Times Square.

I am absolutely there! If there is even a single shred of common sense left in this country, the Supreme Court will have no choice but to strike this down!
Honestly, it’s disgusting. It makes me sick!

Honestly, I can't believe some of the nonsense being posted here. I’m fully on board with the law. I’m 27 years old and living with Lupus—which means there's an 80% chance I’ll never conceive, and even if I did, the odds of a healthy pregnancy are slim to none—and it never once crossed my mind to try and play God with my life. If God doesn't grant me a child, then there’s a reason for it. Besides, there are far too many abandoned children in foster care right now who are just waiting for someone to actually look at them, let alone adopt them. I truly feel for everything you all are going through, but I can't find a single point where I agree with you. By your logic, shouldn't gay couples be allowed to raise children too, so kids can grow up thinking it's perfectly normal to have two dads or two moms? To me, that’s essentially the same as living in a cohabiting relationship; I believe a child should grow up within a marriage, surrounded by the love of a man and a woman, providing the strongest possible foundation for their life. And as for how many abortions our Secretary Miller might have overseen—if he even did—well, everyone eventually answers for their own sins, him included.

Look, in this country, unlike anywhere else, we aren't all believers. For that reason, you simply shouldn't mix God and politics. Why on earth should one single church feel entitled to meddle in everything?
Fine, you believe in God, and if God decides to bless someone with a child, then so be it. But here’s the thing: I don't believe in God—I truly don't think He exists. As an American citizen, I find this law absolutely absurd. The church needs to mind its own business, and this certainly isn't one of them. You should keep your spiritual and moral lectures strictly for Sunday service.

Laura Mendoza said:Look, in this country—maybe more than anywhere else—not everyone is a believer, so why on earth would we mix God and politics? Why does one church feel the need to stick its nose into everything?
Fine, you believe in God, and if He decided to bless you with a child, then so be it. But look, I don't believe in God—I truly think He doesn't exist—and as a citizen of this country, I find this law absolutely insane. The church should mind its own business, and this isn't one of them. Keep your spiritual and moral sermons for Sunday Mass.

I really think discussions about "GOD" should happen on a different forum, not this one. And besides, if you think that "THE SAME" entity you mentioned doesn't exist, well, you wouldn't even be here. Personally, I don't think God himself is meddling in this law—it's the church and the Catholic faith doing the meddling. Honestly, I agree with you completely, and I'm not sure why you feel attacked by me; I’m just stating my opinion, just like you are. This law is a matter of faith and the church because it strikes right at the heart of marriage and family. As for Sunday Mass, I don't go there to hear sermons—I go to gather some wise, moral, life-essential advice so that people like you actually have something intelligent to say. Regardless of whether you agree with the law or not, things won't turn out how you want; they will turn out however Congress decides. 😁

slyscout192 said:I think discussions about "God" belong on a different forum, not this one. Furthermore, if you believe that this "SAME" entity you mentioned doesn't exist, then you wouldn't even exist yourself. In my view, God doesn't personally interfere with this legislation; rather, it's the church and the Catholic faith that do. Personally, I completely agree with you, and I'm not sure why you feel attacked by me—I am simply stating my opinion just as you are. This law is strictly a matter of religious and ecclesiastical business because it directly impacts marriage and the family unit. As for Sunday Mass, I don't go there to listen to sermons; instead, I go to gather wise moral advice and life lessons so that people like you have something intelligent to say. Regardless of whether you agree with this law or not, things won't happen according to your wishes; they will happen however Congress decides. 😁

I wasn't trying to convince you that He doesn't exist, so please spare me the "if He hadn't existed, you wouldn't be here" argument when I choose not to believe in His existence. That is my choice, just as believing is yours. But let's move past my atheism and your theism. My point was that people who aren't believers also get married and want to have children, which is why I believe the church and religion should have absolutely no connection to these matters—none at all—just like any other issue in the country. Yet, they continue to stick their noses where they don't belong. 🙄
Ah, yes, and as for Congress—heaven help us. It’s hardly a surprise that things are the way they are when we are led by people who insist on implementing medieval laws. ☕

You’re attacking the church and faith as if they were the ones who drafted that law—but it was actually people in Congress who did it. Most of them don't have any real connection to religion anyway; they just use it as a convenient shield to make themselves look virtuous to the public (which, frankly, makes me sick). And let's be honest, there are all kinds of believers out there. I personally know a woman who is an atheist just like you, and I can tell you she’s done more for me in her life than some self-proclaimed holy people ever could. It feels incredibly stupid that in our country, followers of other faiths aren't granted the same freedom of choice regarding these matters. You don't support this law, but I do—and so what? Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But just think about one thing: if every infertile woman turned to IVF, and if at least 50% of children were conceived that way, who would actually want to adopt those kids? We all dream of feeling that little miracle in the womb, yet on the flip side, there are those who are perfectly capable of having children but choose to reject them. That’s why I was honestly horrified by the slogan on the T-shirts at the protest yesterday: "WHEN THE HEART SAYS CHILD, AMERICA SAYS NO." Maybe it would be better if those people in Congress focused on finding ways to make adoption faster and simpler instead. Because of my health issues, that possibility is likely closed off to me too—since apparently, you have to be healthy, wealthy, and young just to even stand a chance in the pool of potential adoptive parents.

Wait, hold on—I’m a little out of the loop here—what does the actual law say exactly?

You were the one who kicked things off with the whole discussion on God and spirituality—specifically whether a child is destined for us or not. I was simply building on that by offering my own perspective.
Look, it’s that last point you made that sticks out to me. You’re suggesting that a person needs to be healthy, wealthy, and possess all sorts of specific advantages just to adopt. It makes it sound like it isn't nearly as straightforward as it should be.
And sure, there are all kinds of believers out there, and you’re a perfect example of that. It feels almost malicious how you're adding 😁 the fact that this law was passed, as if you personally stand to gain something from it, or as if you're celebrating its enactment. That's certainly one way to interpret faith. 🙄
But honestly, I think we’ve drifted way too far from the actual topic. My sincere hope is just that this law gets amended very soon, and that'll be that. This whole situation just proves we're typical Americans—the only ones in the entire US with three pages of nonsense. Bravo, truly commendable work. 👋

If I offended you, please forgive me—I’m a believer, and I’m certainly not trying to be malicious. It’s just that I’m just as fed up with these laws as you are. You’re frustrated by this specific legislation, while I’m bitter about a million other things that you’d probably agree with me on in a heartbeat—but then again, who actually asks us how we feel? Honestly, I can see why all of you are so against this law. I have a colleague, a devout Catholic, who went through IVF. Sadly, she had to undergo the procedure multiple times before it finally worked. She eventually gave birth to a healthy little girl at seven months, but that’s when the complications started—she ended up dealing with lifelong health issues because of it. It was absolutely devastating; I wouldn't wish that on anyone. To make matters even more tragic, her husband—who was young and incredibly healthy—passed away in his sleep. He choked in the night, leaving her alone to deal with chronic illness, a baby she can barely lift, and a toddler. What am I even supposed to say to that?