Oklahomans Fear Access To Fertility Treatment May Be Limited By Roe Decision

The reversal of Roe v. Wade brings up questions for some Oklahomans who are going through fertility treatments. 

Wednesday, June 29th 2022, 8:40 pm



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The reversal of Roe v. Wade brings up questions for some Oklahomans who are going through fertility treatments. 

Megan Hoffman told News 9 her story is not uncommon. Many people looking to expand their families are having a hard time understanding how high-risk pregnancies or future laws can impact their healthcare options. 

“So many people in our state likely have never even considered what this means for people who want to have children,” she said. 

Oklahomans struggling to conceive now find themselves navigating new trigger laws instated following the opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade. 

“We are very watchful, as a lot of reproductive specialists are throughout the country about the implications and unfortunately the avalanche of bad bills,” said Dr. Eli Reshef, a Reproductive Specialist. 

“When you add in this new layer of stress of wondering who will be writing the next bill, will it be signed, what will it say, do they contradict themselves? It is so hard to navigate through,” said Hoffman. 

She struggles with Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome and takes medicine to help her eggs fully develop. The condition leaves her with a slim chance of getting pregnant. 

“I’m automatically going to be an at-risk high-risk pregnancy,” she said. 

Hoffman said people with PCOS have a high risk of miscarrying or having an ectopic pregnancy. A life-threatening pregnancy that implants outside of the uterus. 

In these cases, doctors would terminate the pregnancy through surgery or medication. 

“The people of Oklahoma have decided through their elected leaders and the governor signed legislation making abortion illegal in the state of Oklahoma from the moment of conception except in the instance of saving the mother,” said Attorney General John O’Connor at a press conference the day Roe v. Wade was overturned.  

Reproductive specialists are worried about the doors those trigger laws could open next. 

“It may create an opening for people who want to introduce other bills,” said Dr. Reshef. 

“If laws continue to be signed trending in the way that they are our options for having babies, starting our families, growing our families, those are in jeopardy,” said Hoffman. 


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