I received a diagnosis that my partner and I may need assistance through IVF to have a child just before the Alabama Supreme Court ruling. In response, I underwent various labs and medical procedures to assess the health of my reproductive organs. However, representatives in North Dakota began discussing their desire to restrict IVF services, claiming it is like “putting a child in a freezer for decades on end.”
As someone who is making difficult decisions about my health care every day, the idea of politicians banning health care options is horrifying. It’s frustrating to see young politicians asserting that they know what is best for my health and the future health of the children I hope to have. Everyone deserves the right to make decisions about their body, lives, and future without government interference. If we allow politicians to restrict access to certain types of health care, we open the door for them to restrict anything they don’t agree with.
As a licensed social worker, I worry about what could be next if IVF services are restricted. Birth control options and family planning education are also at risk. My potential to have a family hangs in the balance, and I deserve the right to plan my family without politicians interfering in the exam room. North Dakotans deserve better. Elizabeth Samuelson is a licensed social worker serving the Fargo area.
