Senate Republicans Block Bill To Protect IVF Access Nationwide

Roll Call: Senate Falls Short On IVF Vote
The Senate on Thursday fell short of the votes needed to move forward on legislation that would protect access to and expand coverage of commonly used fertility treatments, with just two Republicans joining Democrats in support of the legislation. (Cohen and Raman, 6/13)

The New York Times: How Baptists And The G.O.P. Took Different Paths On I.V.F.
that frozen embryos were to be considered children under the law, Andrew T. Walker, an ethicist at a Southern Baptist seminary in Kentucky, called a friend with an idea: to spread Alabama’s argument beyond Alabama. The Alabama ruling, which had threatened access to in vitro fertilization and other reproductive services in the state, caught many Americans, including conservatives, off guard. (Graham, 6/13)

The Wall Street Journal: Abortion-Pill Ruling And IVF Battle Highlight Vulnerability For GOP
Reproductive-rights advocates saw some momentum during a dramatic week in which the Supreme Court maintained widespread access to abortion pills and Republicans were put on the defensive over whether they support in vitro fertilization. The rapidly unfolding events came as abortion and fights over related issues such as IVF and contraception are expected to drive turnout in the 2024 election. President Biden has campaigned aggressively on a pledge to protect abortion following the 2022 Supreme Court ruling that eliminated the right to the procedure. Former President Donald Trump has taken credit for appointing justices who joined that decision but has struggled to articulate a message and has warned fellow Republicans that the issue is perilous for them. (Lucey and Kusisto, 6/14)

On birth control restrictions —

San Francisco Chronicle: Despite Abortion Pill Ruling, Crusade Against Contraceptives Continues
Even though the U.S. Supreme Court declined to limit the use of the abortion pill mifepristone Thursday, Republicans lawmakers have made little secret of what they want to ban next: contraceptives. From Donald Trump to Congress to state legislatures, conservatives are trying to restrict or deny access to contraceptives, often by employing campaigns riddled with misinformation and lies, like equating IUDs and emergency contraceptives with abortion. (Garofoli and Stein, 6/13)

In other news about maternal health care —

Military.com: DoD To Reimburse Service Members Up To $1,000 For Shipping Breast Milk During Military Moves 
The Defense Department will now cover certain costs for service members to ship breast milk during a permanent change of station move. Service members breastfeeding an infant up to 12 months old can now be reimbursed up to $1,000 in shipping expenses as part of ongoing initiatives to alleviate out-of-pocket costs for troops during military-related travel. The benefit does not apply to military spouses or other family members who are nursing infants. (Kime, 6/13)

Roll Call: Post-Dobbs, Maternal Mental Health Care Is Even More Complicated 
When J.H. became pregnant in 2022, she was already a single mom grappling with a recent autism diagnosis for her youngest child. She was exhausted, physically and mentally. Overwhelmed by her situation and in need of emotional support, the Montgomery, Ala., woman connected with Access Reproductive Care-Southeast, a Georgia-based group that provides logistical support for women in the region seeking abortions. The experience changed both her feelings about abortion and her approach to mental health. (Raman, 6/13)

The Texas Tribune: Texas Panhandle Has Few Options For Maternal Care
Texas’ urban cities can offer women a luxe birthing suite, equipped with high-tech monitoring for mom and the baby, spacious rooms and a full team to handle any emergency. That isn’t the case in the Panhandle, where just eight hospitals are scattered in the 26,000 square mile region. Instead of high-tech monitoring, women are hooked up to the most basic medical equipment in a cramped and outdated room. There is no emergency team in the face of risks or complications, except in Amarillo. (Carver, 6/14)

PBS NewsHour: Miscarriage Is Common. These Researchers Are On A Mission To Better Understand Why
Up to a million pregnancies in the United States end in miscarriage every year. For many patients, there’s no answer about why. ... Yet in most cases, the cause is not investigated or identified until multiple pregnancy losses have occurred. As many as half of pregnancies that end in miscarriage and stillbirth have no explanation. And stigma and shame keep many people who experience miscarriage from discussing it. “It’s not something that people are willing to share. It’s often kept as a family secret.” (Norris and Liesendahl, 6/13)

Stat: Placenta-On-A-Chip Could Mimic Impact Of Drugs And Toxins
Early in her pregnancy in 2015, Nicole Hashemi wanted to know how much caffeine was safe for her to consume. Hashemi figured there ought to be a way for her to quantify how much caffeine from the tea or coffee she consumed would be transported to her growing baby. Her solution: to build a simplified model of the placenta that would show, using microfluidic technology, just how fluids move through channels and across barriers, in what amounts, and with what effects. (Balthazar, 6/13)