Hanson to introduce bills protecting IVF and contraceptives
For Immediate Release
October 28, 2024
FARGO — While North Dakota’s near-total abortion ban awaits final resolution by the state supreme court after being ruled unconstitutional by the district court, many North Dakotans fear that other reproductive health care services like fertility care and contraceptives are at risk.
After her breast cancer diagnosis, Shauna Erickson-Abou Zahr and her husband Dr. Abdallah About Zahr used in vitro fertilization (IVF) to preserve their ability to have a child while she underwent cancer treatment. The Fargo residents now have their “medical miracle” — a daughter named Nadia — but they worry about the future availability of fertility health care for themselves and others.
“Building our family this way was intensive and expensive, but having access to IVF gives North Dakotans the greatest gift of all: the opportunity to become parents, and that has to be protected.”
Alyssa Braaten, a Fargo resident who also used IVF to build her family, also worries about the future of reproductive health care in North Dakota. “Anti-abortion Republican politicians feel emboldened, so I’m worried that they will next try to limit access to other reproductive health care like IVF and birth control,” she said.
In response, Rep. Karla Rose Hanson (D-Fargo) will introduce legislation to protect infertility health care and contraceptives from the extreme politicians who want to limit healthcare freedom in North Dakota.
“Concern about reproductive freedom is one of the top issues I hear from my constituents,” Hanson said. “My bills will protect people’s ability to make personal health care decisions without interference from the government.”
Dr. Christina Broadwell, a Fargo OB-GYN who provides reproductive health care, emphasized the importance of full access to these services.
“Fertility care and birth control are essential health care services that must be protected.” Broadwell said. “About 1 in 6 couples face infertility while trying to build their families. Birth control is even more common, with nearly all women using some type of contraception during their lifetime. In addition to preventing unwanted pregnancies, contraceptives are also to treat a wide range of other medical issues.”
Hanson’s bills would codify patients’ rights to receive, and health care providers’ the rights to offer, fertility care and contraceptives without restrictions or interference from state or local governments.
Under the proposed legislation,
if the government violates a patient’s or provider’s rights to receive or deliver health care, then the attorney general, the patient or health care provider can bring a lawsuit to restore those rights.
The legislation would not require health insurance coverage of these services but does prohibit the government from preventing insurance companies from offering coverage.
“North Dakotans don’t want politicians in their doctor’s office telling them what health care they can or can’t have,” Hanson said. “Everyone deserves the freedom to decide for themselves.”
The North Dakota Medical Association and the North Dakota chapter of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have endorsed both bills. Additionally, the North Dakota Domestic & Sexual Violence Coalition supports the bill protecting access to contraceptives. The two bills will be introduced in January 2025.