A Texas lawmaker who is pursuing fertility treatments is calling on Gov. Greg Abbott to protect access to in vitro fertilization after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are children.
Rep. Mihaela Plesa (D-Plano) said she became concerned about the status of IVF in Texas after the Alabama Supreme Court鈥檚 ruling. She's urging Texans to sign her to encourage lawmakers to protect and improve access to fertility treatments.
Plesa said access to IVF is a reproductive right 鈥� and one that is very important to her personally as she tries to start family.
鈥淢y mother is my hero,鈥� Plesa said. 鈥淪he's the strongest woman I know, and I just hope to be able to be鈥� a strong mother like her one day.鈥�
The Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos have the same rights as children under state law. The ruling was prompted by a wrongful death suit where three Alabama couples undergoing fertility treatment sued after their frozen embryos were destroyed.
鈥淲e really have to be careful when the judiciary essentially is now coming into your doctor's office, because these are not medical professionals,鈥� she said.
Abbott was asked about the Alabama court鈥檚 decision He praised IVF as a method to help more people become parents.
But the governor didn鈥檛 indicate if he鈥檇 urge the legislature to file bills next session that would protect the fertility treatment鈥檚 legality in Texas, saying it was a complicated issue.
鈥淣o one really knows what the potential answers are,鈥� Abbott said. 鈥淎nd I think you're gonna see states across the entire country coming together and grappling with these issues and coming up with solutions.鈥�
The in Alabama stopped providing IVF treatment as a result of the ruling. Plesa said she wants to prevent something like that happening in Texas.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 going to make this process more inaccessible, more expensive,鈥� she said.
Plesa said she plans to file bills during the next legislative session to keep IVF legal in Texas.
Got a tip? Email Caroline Love at clove@kera.org.
Caroline Love is a Corps member for 四虎影院.
四虎影院 is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider today. Thank you.
_
