Although Democratic vice presidential candidate Gov. Tim Walz has repeatedly claimed that he and his wife used artificial insemination to conceive children, it turns out they used a different fertility procedure that does not destroy or freeze embryos long-term. The Walzes used intrauterine insemination, a procedure that involves placing sperm in the uterus during ovulation, rather than creating humans in a test tube.

Widespread concerns among US citizens about the legality of IVF began with the repeal of the Roe v. Wade and Democrats and Republicans continue to promise to protect IVF. Many Americans ignore the dangers of IVF, such as low success rates and experimental practices that treat embryos as disposable items.

Many are also unaware of alternative treatments such as restorative reproductive medicine. Unlike IVF, RRM seeks to address the underlying causes of infertility rather than simply masking them.

Types of restorative reproductive medicine

There are several forms of RRM. The most common are Fertility Education and Medical Management (FEMM) and Natural Procreative Technology (NaProTechnology). In these procedures, a woman tracks her cycle using methods such as the Creighton Method and the Billings Ovulation Method. This can help determine the underlying cause of infertility based on factors such as cervical mucus patterns and the rise and fall of progesterone levels.

Rather than simply masking the symptoms of health problems, the charting approach works with the body naturally to improve health. Doctors trained in these technologies use ultrasound, X-rays, blood tests, exploratory surgery and other tests to identify underlying disorders and hormonal imbalances.

Such doctors may determine the need for hormone therapies using bioidentical hormones as opposed to the synthetic hormones often prescribed by infertility specialists. Sometimes they prescribe surgeries, such as laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis, ovarian wedge resection for polycystic ovary syndrome, and lifestyle and diet changes.

Lower risks

RRM treatments do not involve the use of harmful drugs commonly used in IVF, such as birth control pills, the hormone Lupron, and synthetic progesterone and estrogen. Nor does it involve the physical harm associated with ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval. Women who wish to have their eggs retrieved must undergo an unnatural process that involves overstimulating their ovaries. This is done by injecting them daily with follicle-stimulating hormones called gonadotropins to force the ovaries to mature and release multiple eggs at once.

Lupron, a commonly used drug to stimulate egg production, is used off-label. This means it has not been approved for use in assisted reproduction or fertility treatments, nor has it been tested for short- or long-term negative health effects. Lupron carries the risk of side effects, including hypotension, blood disorders, autoimmune diseases, osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disease, and cancer.

Gonadotropins also carry the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, which can lead to lung problems, stroke, blood clots, kidney dysfunction, loss of fertility, premature menopause and even death. The process of egg retrieval carries risks such as injury to the bladder, intestines, uterus, ovaries and blood vessels. There is also the risk of pelvic infection, ovarian infection, ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage.

Restorative reproductive medicine also recognizes the unifying and reproductive nature of the marital act by using perforated condoms rather than collecting semen samples through masturbation.

Higher success rates

Restorative reproductive medicine is often covered by insurance. Not only is it less expensive than IVF (which can cost between $12,000 and $14,000 per cycle), it also offers higher success rates than IVF. With IVF, only 2-7 percent of all children conceived in the laboratory are born alive.

In 2019, a comparative study by an Irish RRM clinic and the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority showed that “RRM treatment had a live birth rate of 40.4% compared to 24.4% per treatment cycle for IVF.” In addition, restorative fertility specialist Dr. Patrick Yeung states that after complete medical and surgical treatment for RMM, success rates can be as high as 70 percent after one to two years in patients with an average age of 35.

Those who respect human value and dignity and protect children’s right to life and to their parents and fathers must advocate for restorative treatments and insist that pro-lifers reduce their ignorance about the dangers of reproductive technology. RRM treatments respect children’s natural rights, while IVF, which creates potential children in a petri dish in the laboratory, violates those rights.

Katie Breckenridge is operations manager and guest writer for children’s rights organisation Them Before Us. She has a Masters in Mental Health and Wellbeing with a focus on family dynamics, a Diploma in Trauma-Informed Practice and is working towards a second Masters in Bioethics. She has also published articles in The Times and The Scotsman (UK) as part of her work as a research fellow for the Scottish Council on Human Bioethics.