Reproductive news

I don't know if there's been a spike in news related to reproductive issues or just that I notice them more now. But it seems every day there is a new article in the mainstream news about reproductive rights. The big news today, of course, was President Obama's executive order allowing stem cell research. This was a much needed victory for science and chances for finding cures to diseases like this one that affect my family.

There is also the recent bill in Georgia to restrict IVF. This bill is so short-sighted and I hope Georgian legislators don't cut many responsible women off from IVF just because of the media farce that is octomom.

Even American Idol has stories about fertility!

My personal favorite is from my own state. A state legislator proposed this bill which would create a constitutional amendment that says:

Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to a vasectomy. The people retain the right through their elected state representatives and state senators to enact, amend, or repeal statutes regarding how and when a vasectomy may be obtained, especially related to situations involving the knowledge and consent of a spouse when the person requesting the vasectomy is married.

The wording of the bill suggests it is the legislator's tongue in cheek way of pointing out that this bill is just as ridiculous as a similar bill about abortion. Nothing like changing the state constitution so we can enact laws that can't be implemented due to Roe v Wade.

Now that we are realizing how difficult it will be for us to have a baby without assistance, we've begun talking about what steps exactly we are prepared to take. Things like IUI and IVF are no longer abstract concepts, but procedures we may actually use. Does that make me change my mind about them? No. I still think that couples have the right to make these decisions for themselves and if anything am coming to realize how difficult these decisions are. It just puts them in a different perspective.