Vermont Surrogacy Network and the Dobbs Decision
On June 24, 2022, the United States was rocked by a Supreme Court decision that undid almost 50 years of legal precedent and overturned Roe v. Wade, taking away Americans’ constitutional right to abortion. Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization overruled two landmark cases that had been decided in the last 5 decades, giving states the individual power to regulate aspects of abortion that were not protected by federal law.
There have been several responses from one end of the spectrum to the other on the part of the states. Sadly, an overwhelming number of states have opted to strictly limit access to abortion services or uphold those restrictions already put into place. In addition, many of these states are choosing to restrict any termination of pregnancy, regardless of whether it was viable and safe to continue.
Vermont Protects Reproductive Rights
Thankfully, there are states whose response to the Dobbs decision has been much more reassuring. For example, in November, Vermont was the first state in the nation to amend its constitution to protect reproductive rights, including abortion. Several other states followed suit with this election, including all of New England and New York.
Impact On Third-Party Reproduction
In the world of fertility and reproductive medicine, it’s quite rare that a healthy and viable pregnancy is terminated for a non-medical reason. However, with the ripples stemming from the Supreme Court decision, in some states it has become impossible for any pregnant person to access the care they need to safely terminate a pregnancy that medically cannot continue, even if the life of the person carrying the pregnancy is at risk.
This has a specific impact when it comes to cases of third-party reproduction. A surrogate who has been diagnosed with a non-viable pregnancy now has to consider whether they will be able to terminate the pregnancy in their home state, while also grappling with the emotional ramifications of losing the pregnancy. Intended parents will need to grieve the unexpected delay in their family building while worrying that the person who’s sacrificed so much to help them won’t get the care they need in time.
Why Choose Vermont Surrogacy Network?
At Vermont Surrogacy Network, we pride ourselves in knowing that our surrogates are local and live in states where their reproductive rights will be protected in the event of a negative outcome. We also partner with clinics in the Northeastern US that value the reproductive rights of their patients, thereby ensuring that client well-being is a top priority – both intended parents and gestational surrogates.