Georgia HB 169

I felt the urge to spread the word about Georgia's bill 169, about it's ignorance and unethical nature. It is really getting me riled up. And you should be riled up to. Spread the word.

Resolve's explanation of the bill is as follows: (I bolded some key parts.)
"SB 169 would limit the number of embryos transferred during an IVF cycle, and ban the fertilization of any eggs in excess of the number allowed to be transferred. Even if more eggs are produced, they could not be fertilized and cryopreserved for future attempts at pregnancy. In patients under 40, physicians would be allowed to fertilize and transfer only two embryos, and in women over age 40, no more than three embryos. These limits do not meet ASRM guidelines on the number of embryos to transfer, and would affect patients access to care in Georgia. SB 169 would also eliminate any compensation for donor gametes, such as donor egg and donor sperm, severely limiting the number of available donors."

Did you just throw up a little in your mouth? I felt like it when I read this the first time. The second time I read it I just got angry. Incred.ible H.ulk angry.

I have not done IVF, nor do I have plans to, nor do I live in Georgia. So, why does this bill concern me? Because it should concern everyone.

If Georgia does pass this, I believe it would be unethical. The state should have no place to step in on a woman's reproductive rights like this. People who know nothing about the hardships of infertility should not be making our decisions. It's not their bodies, nor their lives. In my opinion this bill is stemming purely from irrational media hype and propaganda.

Perhaps there should be guidelines for IVF, but should not those guidelines fall upon the medical association and each individual practice? Individual doctors may make mistakes, like o.ctop.let mom's doctor, but that individual doctor should be held accountable, not Infertility and IVF itself! Or how about raising education about infertility instead of imposing laws on an issue and science that lawmakers know nothing of? They are not the ones that will be affected, what gives them the right?

I don't live in Georgia, and many of you may not.. so you may (or may not) be asking why should this matter to you? Because if Georgia passes this then other states may follow suite. The public at large may start imposing their laws interferring with your reproductive rights. Not only that, but what's next? Where will it end? Laws about how many follicles you may trigger with IUI? Maybe they'll start telling you that you can't be unwed to pursue this... Some clinics already do this, but imagine if a law said you couldn't! You would have nowhere to go. Laws to prevent people who are too young, who already have "to many" children...

People who do not walk in your shoes should not be making these decisions for you.
Wait, scratch that... People who are not you should not be making these decisions for you.

Maybe I'm going off the deepend, but I can't help but imagine what can happen if they open that floodgate. It scares me. I think it should scare everyone.

If you'd like to read some other woman's opinions about this, I strongly urge you to read these blog posts. Visit:
Mel at Stirrup Queens
Murgdan at Conceive This!