Mother’s Day: beyond cards and flowers
When my first child was born, one of my friends gave me a small plaque I hung by my desk for many years. It said, “When a child is born, so too is a mother.” I used to stare at it and think of the power of that statement. I wasn’t the same person I was yesterday. I was a mother.
The path to motherhood comes in many different ways besides birthing a child. One can adopt a child, foster a child, become a stepmom or single mom or a same-sex parent. Because of assisted reproductive technology, in vitro fertilization is being used by many women. Two percent of the births in the United States happen with the assistance of this technology. Eighty-six percent of Americans support IVF.
IVF (in vitro fertilization) exists to assist women in becoming a mother who have had difficulty in conceiving naturally. IVF can help women who have difficulty conceiving naturally due to many different issues. Women may carry a genetic disease that they don’t want to pass on to their offspring. Women may have had recurrent miscarriages. IVF increases their chances of conceiving and carrying a pregnancy to term.
In June 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe — ending the federal constitutional right to abortion in the United States. Roe v. Wade in the 1973 decision stated that personal choice in matters of marriage and family life is one of the liberties protected by the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment. That right includes the right of a woman to decide whether or not to terminate her pregnancy. By reversing Roe, it allowed states to regulate life from the moment of conception. This has implications for IVF because IVF creates embryos.
In February of this year, Alabama in an unprecedented ruling was the first state to rule that embryos created in vitro fertilization should be considered children. Prior to this ruling, in 2019, Alabama passed a law prohibiting all abortions even in cases of rape and incest. This law was one of the most restrictive in the nation sparking widespread debate and legal challenges. While this ruling primarily focused on restricting abortion, it raised long-term concerns about IVF. In this act a fertilized egg is considered a person with legal rights. After an outcry from many sources, the Alabama Legislature passed a law protecting IVF patients and providers from then legal liability imposed on them by the state Supreme Court ruling. In March, Georgia also ruled in favor of protecting IVF.
In Congress, anti-abortion groups are vowing to penalize Republican Party members if they support pro-IVF bills they believe go too far, accusing them of sanctioning murder. They are using the same graphic imagery — blood, babies and scalpels — they have long used to oppose Democrats and the abortion rights movement. Some Republicans dismiss the criticism, arguing that protecting IVF is a “pro-life” position. Most Republicans are ducking the hard questions surrounding IVF, choosing to protect IVF because of fear of voter disapproval. As the debate rages, many anti-abortion leaders say they’re hopeful, despite recent setbacks, that the Alabama ruling will eventually lead to more restrictions on IVF.
Mike Pence, a conservative Republican, said in an interview on “Face the Nation” that he and his wife struggled with fertility for years. His wife underwent IVF numerous times and they were eventually able to conceive a son and a daughter. Michelle Obama in her memoir, "Becoming," revealed that after a miscarriage she was able to conceive two healthy girls which the nation saw grow up during the eight years of her husband’s presidency. She wrote about the struggle and sacrifices of women from these fertility treatments.
Beyond biological mothers, Mother’s Day also celebrates maternal figures who have played pivotal roles in nurturing and shaping our lives Stepmothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters and mentors often provide us with unwavering support. As we celebrate Mother’s Day, let us be reminded of the challenges and sacrifices inherent in mothering. It’s a day to honor the extraordinary women who have shaped our lives and continue to support us.
Mary Strevel is a member of Stronger Together Huddle, a group engaged in supporting and promoting the common good. She is a mother and grandmother and resides in Temperance. She can be reached at mcneil102@icloud.com.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Mary Strevel: Mother’s Day: beyond cards and flowers
