The overturn of Roe v. Wade affected reproductive care in more ways than just abortion access.
Since Roe fell, abortion bans have fueled attacks on fertility care. Same playbook: spread misinformation, restrict access, then ban it entirely. “Personhood” laws that give embryos legal rights threaten both abortion and IVF. In 2024, Alabama’s Supreme Court ruled life begins at conception. The result: IVF services shut down statewide overnight, denying care to families mid-treatment.
Fertility care is mainstream, not rare.
13+ million babies worldwide born through fertility care.
- ~100,000 IVF births in the U.S. every year.
- 1 in 6 people globally will experience infertility.
- 1 in 3 Americans has used IVF or knows someone who has.
This isn’t a fringe issue. Seven in 10 Americans, across party and religious lines, support IVF access. Politicians pushing restrictions are ignoring their own constituents, and the science.
Access is not equal.
No state requires Medicaid to cover IVF. Most insurance doesn’t either. Black and Indigenous communities face higher infertility rates and steeper barriers to care. LGBTQ+ people are often excluded from coverage entirely.
Our communities deserve access to comprehensive care, not laws that restrict their options.
[Disclaimer: These stories reflect the voices, experiences, and perspectives of the COLOR team shared in the spirit of learning, connection, and collective growth.]