Oh, Baby: Pro-Life Senators Prioritize Women’s Health Over Ethically Concerning Cures

It might seem to the casual observer that modern medicine is increasingly prone to treating the symptom rather than the cause.

This is certainly the case when it comes to the heartbreaking issue of infertility, which is medically defined as the inability to conceive after twelve months of trying to have a baby.

The infertility treatment market in the United States is estimated to be nearly $8 billion in 2025, up from just under $6 billion this past year. A large portion of those dollars are spent on IVF or In vitro fertilization, a fertility treatment where sperm and eggs are combined in a lab to create an embryo.

While it’s possible to reduce the ethical concerns surrounding IVF, the industry has become increasingly problematic. Millions of human embryos are being created in labs and later destroyed or frozen for seemingly ever. Donor eggs and sperm are being used, surrogates are being contracted, couples are ordering up designer babies, and little to no concern is being paid to how children who do survive the fraught process will fare in the long-term.

You may ask: Why is IVF increasing and becoming so popular? There are many reasons, but almost all of them are rooted in a woman’s inability to conceive. Only IVF doesn’t really address or try to correct the biological issues at play leading to the infertility. Instead, it’s the equivalent of heart bypass surgery where doctors simply find another way to solve the problem. Or it’s akin to taking a pain reliever for a massive headache for weeks rather than addressing the cause of the affliction itself.

When it comes to trying to address the difficult issues of infertility, there are other ways to come at the challenge.

It’s this belief and conviction that’s behind Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith’s bill, “The Reproductive Empowerment and Support through Optimal Restoration (RESTORE) Act.” It was previously introduced in the 118^th Congress.

“So many couples of today’s childbearing-aged generations face an uphill battle with fertility struggles that are complex and unique to every woman and man,” Senator Hyde-Smith stated. “The holistic fertility policy promoted through the RESTORE Act aims to treat the root causes of infertility, many of which stem from chronic conditions and environmental factors that are the focus of President Trump’s MAHA movement.”

She added:

“If we are going to truly support women and men who are ready to embrace parenthood, then we should promote substantive fertility solutions that ensure access to restorative reproductive medicine—fully healing couples and empowering them with autonomy over how they start and build their families.” 

Senator James Lankford, a cosponsor of the Act, agreed and offered both an empathetic and practical justification for the legislation. 

“Infertility is one of the most difficult challenges couples can face, and most Americans have either faced or know someone who is facing the difficult journey to have a baby,” said Senator Lankford. “IVF is an incredible scientific advancement that allows families to bring life into the world, but IVF is very expensive and shouldn’t be the only option available to families.  The RESTORE Act prioritizes addressing underlying causes of infertility to help families to bring the miracle of life into the world.”

The legislation puts a spotlight on some of the many health conditions that contribute to infertility, including endometriosis, adenomyosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, thyroid issues and hormone imbalances, to name just a few.

According to Senator Hyde-Smith’s office, key provisions of the RESTORE Act include: 

• Developing educational tools for women seeking information about reproductive health conditions and restorative reproductive medicine.
• Providing training opportunities for medical professionals to learn how to diagnose and treat reproductive health conditions.
• Directing the Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health to conduct data collection and implement ongoing reports to assess the access women and men have to restorative reproductive medicine and infertility care through proper testing, diagnosis, and treatment of reproductive conditions.
• Promoting, through existing funding opportunities in Title X and the HHS Office of Population Affairs, medical training for medical students and professionals who feel called to truly help women and men struggling with reproductive health conditions and infertility.
• Advancing lifestyle medicine prescriptions as a method for treating male infertility.
• Directing HHS, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and all relevant panels to update the diagnostic and procedural codes related to infertility that implement the practice of restorative reproductive medicine.

Senators Hyde-Smith and Lankford and other supporters of the bill are looking at the cause and not just a possible or seeming cure. We applaud, support, and pray for this much needed effort.

Image from Shutterstock.