Reproductive rights have been one of the most wedging political issues in the USA. The historical Roe v. Wade ruling was overturned in June 2022 to take away the constitutional right to abortion from American women. This ruling has seen a varied set of responses from people across the United States, but it has also affected another important medical right of parents: access to IVF.

The discussion on reproductive rights is more complex than it seems. And Samantha Busch, Kyle Busch’s wife, has been at the forefront of advocating these rights for parents who suffer from the “infertility disease.” Samantha just had her second baby with IVF and is happy to witness the positive conversations in society around infertility.

What has been the issue with access to IVF treatment?

Samantha, who has a psychology major from Purdue, has been dealing with infertility treatments for over a decade. Kyle Busch and his wife had their first baby in May 2015. Brexton Busch was born through IVF, and the couple felt blessed to have access to the treatment in the wake of both male-factor infertility and PCOS. But what Samantha realized after dealing with infertility was that one out of six people worldwide faced these issues. Unfortunately, many of them did not have access to the costly IVF treatments, leaving them incapable of bearing children.

This was when Samantha decided to set up a foundation called Samantha & Kyle Busch Bundle of Joy Fund. This foundation strives to help couples with the financial aid needed to get IVF treatments. She also advocated in D.C. for the coverage of treatments by the state and said “I felt defeated to be honest that it was a disease (yes, the WHO has classified infertility as a disease) that no one was paying attention there.”

While the fight to promote free IVF treatments is on, there is yet another roadblock in sight. As different states in the US have the power to dictate their abortion laws, Florida has recently announced a six-week abortion ban. This means that even if pregnancies become unviable after a six-week term, Floridians cannot legally get abortions.

This was an awful thing to hear for Samantha, who suffered from two failed pregnancies and a failed cycle during an excruciating three-year period before she got pregnant with her second baby. The contention to ban IVF abortions arose when the Alabama Supreme Court gave embryos the legal status of children. It termed embryos as extrauterine children. This landmark decision further flared the abortion debates in the country.

Ex-Prez Donald Trump has recently promised free IVF treatments for all and the removal of a six-week-ban if he gets another Presidential term. Although Kamala Harris does not believe in Trump’s promises, Samantha has found some solace in the fact that the topic is being discussed in the election year. However, Samantha has voiced concerns about WHO defining infertility as a disease.

Why has the WHO categorized infertility as a disease?

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There are many stigmas around infertility in the society. People who suffer from the complication often feel ashamed about disclosing it and oftentimes, do not take the measures required to manage it. Infertility is treatable when detected early, but because of the persisting stigmas, that is seldom the case. And then there are the insurmountable IVF costs that further deter couples from seeking any medical help.

So, to alleviate the stigmas, WHO defined infertility as a disease, which was supported by the AMA in 2017. WHO wanted insurers to cover the IVF and allied treatments in the insurance plans. Defining the complication as a disease helps in including it in the coverage policies. While most insurers still don’t cover it, the step taken by WHO was in good faith. Understandably, it can be hurtful for those who suffer from the situation.

It is already painful for people who are devoid of reproducing children, and the attacks that society plants on these people further destroy their hopes. But people like Samantha and Kyle Busch who can support such couples in this fight keep pushing them forward to live fuller lives.