Women’s Day should recognize motherhood

Justin Trudeau celebrated National Women’s Day on March 17 by announcing $650 million for reproductive rights in developing countries. The CBC reported that Trudeau “said women and girls must have the rights to choose when and with whom they want to start a family, and its size.”

Ironically, this right does not exist in Canada. Abortion exists as a right, yes. A woman can terminate a pregnancy with full funding from the Canadian health-care system. But what about the woman who wants to conceive but has difficulty due to fertility complications? In all the heated national debate about reproductive rights, there has never been so much as a whisper about the rights of the woman who wants to achieve, not to terminate, a pregnancy.

There is no health-care coverage for fertility treatments in Alberta. Hopeful parents pay entirely out of pocket, after tax money. And the costs are high. An IVF cycle at the Regional Fertility Program in Calgary costs $13,000. That does not include the required drugs, which range from $2,000-$6,000. Some drugs may be covered by a health plan, but only if those drugs can be prescribed for other conditions. Drugs that are exclusive to fertility treatments are unilaterally not covered. And they are the most expensive. One also must consider the costs of travel, accommodation, and work missed for extensive appointments. And outcomes cannot be guaranteed. If a pregnancy is not achieved, as is common, and no embryos could be stored, the money is simply lost. Another try comes at the same price.

What about adoption? The high rate of abortion, combined with growing social acceptance of single parenthood, means there are fewer and fewer babies available for adoption.

Trudeau’s overseas $650 million could fund almost 50,000 IVF treatments in Canada. Maybe next year on International Women’s Day, Trudeau could consider giving the gift of motherhood to some of the women here at home.

Brittany Racicot

Lethbridge