Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

In vitro fertilisation: Harris, Haley lock horns over Supreme Court ruling

Nikki Haley, the only Republican female presidential candidate, said, “Embryos, to me, are babies.�

In vitro fertilisation: Harris, Haley lock horns over Supreme Court ruling

A few days ago, the Supreme Court of Alabama said that “fertilised frozen embryos are babies.” This kicked up another tempest that was already brewing on the campaign trail around the issue of abortion and the Dobbs decision, which last year took away the rights of American women to seek an abortion freely.

Nikki Haley, the only Republican female presidential candidate, immediately said, “Embryos, to me, are babies.” Since she conceived her children through in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), she seemed to pull back on her earlier statement and suggested that it is a private decision for parents to make.


nikki haley trump biden us elections Nikki Haley

Democrat vice president Kamala Harris called the Alabama Supreme Court decision "outrageous and unacceptable" and an overreach by the Republicans to take away the rights of women, who have been treated as second-class citizens from the founding of the republic.

Today, Hinduism, Buddhism and Judaism accept all forms of assisted reproduction technologies, while Orthodox Jews may differ on third-party involvement.

On the other hand, IVF is totally rejected by Roman Catholicism, while Protestants, Anglicans, Coptic Christians and Sunni Muslims accept most assisted reproduction methods that do not require gamete or embryo donation.

This debate will rage on, while advances in medical technologies can pose a challenge to traditional notions of religion.

The psychology of parenting suggests it is a complicated decision for adults to have a baby today. Reproduction is simultaneously a deeply biological, sociological, and cultural milestone for most families.

But, of course, it varies radically from society to society, depending on the level of medical or technological advancement, local legal strictures, and women’s rights movement in different communities.

Kamala Harris urges action against AI dangers Kamala Harris

No one knows this better than parents who cannot naturally conceive a baby. Today, IVF makes it possible for parents who struggle with infertility to have a baby. Many parents will go to the ends of the earth to have a child, but it comes with a roller coaster ride of emotions.

Couples who undergo the IVF procedure may feel a range of emotions: frustration, anger, despair, guilt, jealousy, excitement, hope, sadness, or happiness, as per a Canadian fertility clinic.

According to a recent review in Social Science and Medicine, "Common reactions during IVF are anxiety and depression, while after an unsuccessful IVF, feelings of sadness, depression, and anger prevail. After a successful IVF treatment, IVF parents experience more stress during pregnancy than 'normal fertile' parents."

Being prepared is the most important coping mechanism. It is critical to understand how an IVF treatment can physically and emotionally affect both parties involved.

The failure of IVF treatment can be devastating. Grief is real for every couple who has experienced a failed IVF treatment. The psychological impact cannot fully be comprehended; 95 per cent of women and 64 per cent of men experience depression after the first round of IVF failure.

"Rates of stress, anxiety, and depression among IVF patients are higher than in the general population. If the level of infertility-related stress is higher, IVF success rate is lower," according to a recent study in Plos One.

In the Alabama case, it was an accidental destruction of embryos at a fertility clinic by a patient who walked into the cryogenic nursery, freeze-burned their hands, and dropped the fertilised embryos. This led to legal action by the parents against the clinic; even though the embryos were "a few days old," the couples felt they were wronged by the destruction of the embryos of their future reproductive careers.

Dinesh Sharma 0009 E4 Crop scaled e1707313477872 Dr Dinesh Sharma

Since overall fertility has been declining in the US, it has become a highly charged political issue for conservative Republican groups that promote family values and anti-immigration laws.

With the Alabama Supreme Court ruling, the politics of IVF has thrust the right to defend women’s bodies as a central issue, notwithstanding that almost 80 per cent of Americans surveyed have said that IVF is "not a moral issue" and "morally acceptable."

(The author is the director and chief research officer at Steam Works Studio, an education-tech venture in Princeton, New Jersey, and adjunct professor at Fordham and NYU, NYC)

More For You

We are what we eat: How ending malnutrition could save millions of lives around the world

Malnutrition is the underlying cause of almost 50 per cent of child deaths around the world

Getty Images

We are what we eat: How ending malnutrition could save millions of lives around the world

Baroness Chapman and Afshan Khan

The word “nutrition” can mean many things. In the UK, the word might conjure images of protein powders or our five-a-day of fruit and veg. But nutrition is much more than that. Nutrition plays a crucial role in shaping the health and life chances of people around the world.

Malnutrition is the underlying cause of almost 50 per cent of child deaths around the world as it weakens the immune system, reducing resilience to disease outbreaks such as cholera and measles. This is equivalent to approximately 2.25 million children dying annually - more than the number of children under five in Spain, Poland, Greece, or Portugal.

Keep ReadingShow less
Dynamic dance passion

Mevy Qureshi conducting a Bollywoodinspired exercise programme

Dynamic dance passion

Mevy Qureshi

IN 2014, I pursued my passion for belly dancing at the Fleur Estelle Dance School in Covent Garden, London. Over the next three years, I mastered techniques ranging from foundational movements to advanced choreography and performance skills. This dedication to dance led to performing in front of audiences, including a memorable solo rendition of Bruno Mars’ Uptown Funk, which showcased dynamic stage presence and delighted the crowd.

However, my connection to dance began much earlier. The energy, vibrancy, and storytelling of Bollywood captivated me from a very young age. The expressive movements, lively music, and colourful costumes offered a sense of joy and empowerment that became the foundation of my dance passion.

Keep ReadingShow less
‘Will Gaza surrender if brutal strategy of famine is forced?’

A boy looks on as he eats at a camp sheltering displaced Palestinians set up at a landfil in the Yarmuk area in Gaza City on March 20, 2025. Israel bombarded Gaza and pressed its ground operations on March 20, after issuing what it called a "last warning" for Palestinians to return hostages and remove Hamas from power.

Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP via Getty Images

‘Will Gaza surrender if brutal strategy of famine is forced?’

THERE was supposed to be a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict, yet Israel appears to have turned to a new and deadly weapon – starvation of the besieged population.

Is this a cunning way to avoid accusations of breaking the peace agreement? Instead of re-starting the bombardment, is mass famine the new tactic?

Keep ReadingShow less
Bollywood meets Hollywood: A fusion of glamour, identity, and rebellion

Shiveena Haque

Bollywood meets Hollywood: A fusion of glamour, identity, and rebellion

Shiveena Haque

BOLLYWOOD and Hollywood are so similar, yet worlds apart, but their influences run deep. While each is celebrated for being unique, what isn’t often discussed or acknowledged are the times when they have beautifully blended, including in everyday life.

Many of these influences will always run deep. From vintage Hollywood to sparkles of Hindi cinema, their romance has created many passionate, brave spirits, with a dash of rebellion, adorned with diamantes and dramatic gestures. One of them is me! It’s a flame that will never go out.

Keep ReadingShow less
Comment: Ramadan’s message of unity, charity, and faith can inspire us all

Nigel Huddleston

Comment: Ramadan’s message of unity, charity, and faith can inspire us all

Nigel Huddleston

RAMADAN is a unique and special time for Muslims in Britain and across the world. It is a time to reflect on and renew their faith, through devotion and spirituality, while fulfilling the five pillars of Islam.

During this hugely important time of prayer and fasting, the message of Ramadan is one we can all relate to – especially the importance of charity and compassion. These core values at the heart of Islamic faith are the very same values that those of all faiths or none can aspire to.

Keep ReadingShow less