January 18, 2026
Shady Grove Fertility Advocacy Day 2015: Fighting for Infertility Rights
Shady Grove Fertility led 170 advocates from 27 states in 2015 to lobby for infertility-related legislation, including the Women Veterans and Families Health Services Act and the National Public Health Action Plan. Advocates educated lawmakers on infertility as a medical condition and pushed for expanded access to treatments and adoption support. The event aimed to secure funding and policy changes to improve fertility care and adoption opportunities for all families.
Key Takeaways
Key Legislative Priorities for Infertility Advocacy in 2015
Advocates focused on three bills: the Women Veterans and Families Health Services Act (expanding ART access for veterans), the National Public Health Action Plan for infertility detection/prevention, and the Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act. These initiatives aimed to address gaps in insurance coverage, public health education, and adoption affordability for low-income families.
Advocacy Training: Preparing Infertility Patients to Influence Policy
RESOLVE provided a pre-visit training session to equip advocates with facts about infertility as a medical disease, emphasizing how legislative changes like IVF coverage and fertility awareness programs could directly impact 1 in 8 couples. This training ensured consistent messaging when engaging 500+ congressional staff across Capitol Hill.
National Public Health Action Plan for Infertility: CDC’s Role in Detection and Prevention
The CDC’s 2014 action plan, first promoted at Advocacy Day 2011, outlined steps for increasing infertility awareness through public health campaigns and provider education. SGF and RESOLVE urged congressional funding to implement this plan, which includes improving early detection and expanding treatment access nationwide.
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