Reproductive healthcare remains top of mind for voters

Just over two years ago, millions of women lost their access to some forms of reproductive healthcare following the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Two years later, Americans have made it clear that they haven't forgotten what that decision cost them. 

In partnership with theSkimm, fertility care provider Kindbody surveyed 2,000 Americans, revealing that 92% of respondents consider reproductive healthcare a significant or top priority in this election. In fact, 75% said that a candidate's stance on reproductive healthcare would impact their vote, and 51% are willing to change political parties to vote for candidates who have vowed to protect their right to choose — and not just the right to choose an abortion. 

The loss of federally protected abortion care access has also threatened the right to fertility care. Just this March, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are human beings, immediately forcing three of the state's IVF providers to halt services. And while a law has since been put into place to protect IVF patients in the state, the ruling set a dangerous precedent: Now that states can choose to prioritize a fetus' life to the detriment of a person's life, what's to stop states from giving personhood to women's eggs regardless of whether they're viable.

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"The uncertainty of our political climate has come to the attention of many Americans," says  Dr. Roohi Jeelani, a double board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist, as well as the chief growth officer at Kindbody. "And not just how it impacts themselves, but the future of their daughters. People are willing to take action to protect their rights and future [generations'] rights." 

According to Kindbody, 65% of respondents are concerned about the potential restrictions on services like IVF in the wake of the 2024 election results. Although the choice between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump may seem obvious — especially given that the latter had said, "I was able to kill Roe v. Wade" — this election is also an opportunity to choose candidates at the state and local level, as well as legislation that would protect the right to abortion in seven states. Arizona's Proposition 139, for example, would make it so the state could not interfere with the fundamental right to abortion. Florida's Amendment 4 would get rid of the state's six-week abortion ban. 

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Beyond looking into what legislation is on your state ballot, Dr. Jeelani suggests that voters look to advocacy groups like the American Society for Reproductive Medicine to see what candidates they rate highly. If reproductive healthcare is a priority for someone as a voter, then they should choose a candidate that holds the same belief, underscores Dr. Jeelani. 

"It's important to understand local candidates as well as national candidates," she says. "This has become a state-by-state issue, so look for candidates who understand the political climate."

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As for employers, Dr. Jeelani encourages them to not only offer reproductive health coverage, but travel stipends for workers who do not feel like they can safely access services in their state. And workers are more than willing to make the trek: Kindbody found that 50% of respondents would travel to another state for fertility care access, and 24% would permanently relocate to another state for better reproductive healthcare. Dr. Jeelani also reminds employers that fertility care remains a strong influencer in employee retention, with 41% reporting that they would consider switching jobs for said travel benefits.

"We constantly get patients asking about the [safety] of their embryos and what happens if the political climate further changes," says Dr. Jeelani. "It's important as an employer to offer benefits which can provide guidance and a little bit of reassurance to their employees."