Karah Rucker: REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ARE BACK IN THE HEADLINES THIS WEEK.

WHILE THERE’S BEEN QUESTIONS SURROUNDING ACCESS TO THE ABORTION PILL MIFEPRISTONE – AND ACCESS TO IN VITRO FERTILIZATION – OR IVF –

NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED.

AS ACCESS TO BOTH REMAINS THE SAME –

AND AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF AMERICANS – ACROSS PARTY LINES – 

WANT TO KEEP IT THAT WAY.

IN A UNANIMOUS DECISION –

THE SUPREME COURT RULED MIFEPRISTONE – THE PILL USED IN 60% OF U.S. ABORTIONS – CAN REMAIN ACCESSIBLE.

JUSTICE KAVANAUGH WROTE THE COURT’S OPINION –

SAYING THE DOCTORS AND ADVOCACY GROUPS WHO SUED DIDN’T HAVE STANDING TO DO SO – BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY MIFEPRISTONE BEING ON THE MARKET FOR OTHERS.

THE OPINION READ “We recognize that many citizens, including the plaintiff doctors here, have sincere concerns about and objections to others using mifepristone and obtaining abortions. But citizens and doctors do not have standing to sue simply because others are allowed to engage in certain activities— at least without the plaintiffs demonstrating how they would be injured by the government’s alleged underregulation of others.”

WHILE ACCESS TO ABORTION PILLS REMAIN INTACT –

THE ISSUE OVER IVF HAS HAD A TUMULTUOUS YEAR.

EARLIER THIS YEAR – THE ALABAMA SUPREME COURT RULED FROZEN EMBRYOS ARE CHILDREN – PUTTING A STOP TO THE TREATMENTS FOR A WEEK WHILE THE STATE QUICKLY WORKED TO CLARIFY ITS REPRODUCTIVE LAWS – PROTECTING IVF PATIENTS AND DOCTORS PERFORMING THE PROCEDURES.

THAT STATE RULING TRIGGERED A STRONG RESPONSE.

DEMOCRATS AT STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR NEW LAWS THAT WOULD **GUARANTEE PROTECTIONS FOR THOSE WHO UNDERGO IVF TREATMENTS.

THOSE MEASURES ARE SO FAR FAILING TO ADVANCE – 

SPARKING A FRENZY OF POLITICAL MESSAGING AHEAD OF NOVEMBER’S ELECTION.

SENATE DEMOCRATS ARGUE TWO YEARS SINCE ROE VERSUS WADE WAS OVERTURNED – MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO ENSHRINE IVF RIGHTS AHEAD OF ANY POTENTIAL RULINGS THAT COULD RESTRICT IVF.

REPUBLICANS ARGUE THERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS ON IVF – SO THERE IS NO NEED FOR NEW LEGISLATION OVER A NON-ISSUE.

SO HOW DO AMERICANS **FEEL ABOUT ACCESS TO IVF?

THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY – OF DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS – ARE FOR IT.

BUT THERE ARE THOSE IN OPPOSITION MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD.

“THE SOUTHERN BAPTISTS” – THE COUNTRY’S LARGEST PROTESTANT DENOMINATION – VOTED THIS WEEK THAT IF A WOMAN UNDERGOES IVF TREATMENT – SHE SHOULD ONLY PRODUCE HOWEVER MANY EMBRYOS SHE PLANS TO HAVE AS CHILDREN. COMMON IVF PRACTICE IS TO CREATE MANY EMBRYOS TO TRY AND CONCEIVE WITH.

 WHILE THE DELEGATION VOTED TO PUT IN PLACE IVF LIMITATION GUIDELINES FOR ITS MEMBERS –

NONE OF IT IS LEGALLY BINDING.

IN THE NEWEST GALLUP POLL –

61 PERCENT OF AMERICANS ARE **FOR ACCESS TO MIFEPRISTONE.

AND AN OVERWHELMING 82 PERCENT OF AMERICANS SAY THERE IS NOTHING MORALLY WRONG WITH IN VITRO FERTILIZATION.

WHEN SPLIT BY PARTY AFFILIATION –

THE ACCEPTANCE RATE REMAINED HIGH.

89 PERCENT OF DEMOCRATS, 84 PERCENT OF INDEPENDENTS, AND 72 PERCENT OF REPUBLICANS ARE FOR IVF.

PRESIDENT BIDEN AND PRESIDENT TRUMP HAVE BOTH SAID IVF PROCEDURES SHOULD REMAIN ACCESSIBLE FOR WOMEN –

AS ABOUT ONE IN EVERY EIGHT AMERICANS SAY ABORTION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR THEM AHEAD OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.