Following the outcome of the 2024 election cycle, there are a lot of questions and even more uncertainty and fear in the reproductive health and fertility communities. Unfortunately, we cannot answer all of these questions and we will have to wait to see what actions are taken by former and soon to be President Trump, the new Republican led Senate, and the House of Representatives (which at the time of this writing is still up for grabs but appears Republicans will retain control).
While many of our members and followers are no doubt disappointed in the election results, it is important to remember that protecting access to fertility care is a bipartisan issue that has the support of the vast majority of people in the United States. As we know, infertility does not discriminate based on race, location, or political affiliation, and because of this, Grain Fertility will continue to work to not only protect access to care, but serve all members of the infertility community.
We will do this several ways:
Grain Fertility will continue to support the needs of patients all over who are struggling with their fertility journey. Our team is dedicated to ensuring you have what you need in order to feel confident in the decisions you make in consultation with your care team and giving you the information you need when you need it.
Grain Fertility will continue to amplify patient voices. For so long, fertility care only focused on outcomes without considering the financial, emotional, or physical impact of the patient, causing people to have to sacrifice so much. Our aim is to ensure patients' wellbeing and support is at the center of this journey while improving outcomes.
Grain Fertility will continue to actively advocate for protection and expansion of essential reproductive health care, including fertility care and IVF. We believe companies in the fertility space have the duty to work in the best interests of their members and patients and that includes speaking up on behalf of 1 in 6 who will experience infertility.
How You Can Make a Difference
One of the hardest aspects of a fertility journey is the lack of control and feeling of isolation that patients experience. For many patients, including those that have resolved their family building journey but still carry the trauma and scars of infertility, the election results can exacerbate these feelings. It is easy to think that despite all of the action, passion, and activity throughout the community, nothing will change and we are taking steps back. However, it does not have to be that way. The fertility community is incredibly strong and resilient and together, we can collectively take actions that help continue to make progress and help the millions of people who will experience infertility.
We can do this in a few ways:
Support organizations that are on the front lines, helping to inform and educate lawmakers on the importance of access to reproductive health care and working to expand access to ensure that fertility care is covered by insurance. These include but are not limited to RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), The Alliance for Fertility Preservation, Doctors for Fertility, or the Women’s Health PAC.
Make your own voice heard and tell your story. While we know not everyone is in a position or ready to tell their story to the world, it is one of the most powerful tools we have as patients. You never know who will hear your story and instantly realize they are not alone in feeling that way. You can take this a step further by contacting your state or federal legislators and letting them know how important reproductive health is to you and their constituents. RESOLVE has resources to help you email your representatives and tell your story. Go to https://resolve.org/take-action/become-an-advocate/act-now/ to take action.
At Grain Fertility, our mission is to help empower patients and ensure they have the information and resources they need to make informed decisions. Unfortunately, in this case, it means that as patients we are forced to take on an added burden of speaking up for those who may not have a voice. But if there is anything we know, it is that fertility patients are incredibly resilient and capable of doing hard things.
Soon after the election, we saw this quote in a social media post by Kristin Dillen Snyder, and IVF Coach and advocate. She said:
“the infertility community knows this feeling. When we had so much hope, and get the news, that despite everything we did, we did not get the result we wanted. The infertility community also knows how to keep going. We’ve been doing it for years. Usually silently when no one else knows. So just like when the pregnancy test/ beta is negative we do the following: we feel it. We take it one hour, then one day, then one week at a time. We take care of ourselves. We focus on what’s in our control. We find others who have experienced the same. And eventually, we try again”
We pledge to cultivate an environment of trust for our members and the community by openly sharing facts about fertility care and reproductive health, emphasizing the importance of continued access and working to ensure that patients and their care team, not politicians, get to make the choice about what is best for a patient.
During these hard times, we are here to help in any way we can. If you need to talk to someone or are interested in learning more ways about how you can get involved, reach out to your Patient Empowerment Coach or email us at info@grainfertility.com.
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