When Algorithms Choose Your Future Child: AI-Assisted Reproduction and What It Means for ART Law

Artificial intelligence is no longer on the sidelines of reproductive medicine. It’s in the room analyzing sperm, ranking embryos, and influencing decisions that once rested solely with doctors, patients, and their hopes for the future.

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Breaking Update in the Legal Battle Over Birthright Citizenship — July 10th, 2025

Judge Joseph LaPlante of the U.S. District Court in New Hampshire certified a class action lawsuit covering all children born in the United States on or after February 20 who would be affected by the executive order and issued a preliminary injunction blocking its enforcement. This includes children born to undocumented parents, asylum seekers, and families present on student or work visas.

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What the Supreme Court Ruling on Birthright Citizenship Means for International Surrogacy Clients

On June 27, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision that, while procedural in nature, has sparked understandable questions from international intended parents pursuing surrogacy in the United States. Chief among them: Will my child still be recognized as a U.S. citizen? This post is intended to offer clarity.

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Trump v. CASA, Inc., et al.: What does the Supreme Court’s June 27, 2025 ruling mean for birthright citizenship?

Trump v. CASA, Inc., et al. What does the Supreme Court's June 27, 2025 ruling mean for birthright citizenship? The short answer: It's still unfolding.The Court's decision on June 27, 2025, did not address the guarantee of citizenship for those born on U.S. soil enshrined in the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution since the 1800s. However, it did narrow the power of federal courts to issue nationwide (i.e., universal) injunctions.

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A Quiet Fix for a Deep Injustice: California Moves to Protect Pregnancy in All Its Forms

California State Senate passed SB 257—the PARENT Act—with a unanimous vote. The bill aims to make pregnancy a qualifying event for special enrollment in health insurance plans, regardless of how the pregnancy was conceived. This includes situations like surrogacy or gestational carrying. The bill is intended to ensure that families formed through surrogacy are treated equally under California's health insurance laws.

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Happy Pride Month 2025

Pride is a celebration of love’s quiet defiance—and its enduring triumph. It’s a tribute to those who’ve made space for joy in a world that hasn’t always made space for them. At IFLG, we have the privilege of walking alongside LGBTQ+ individuals and couples who are building families not just with hope, but with intention, resilience, and grace.

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Federal Court Temporarily Blocks Executive Order Which Attempts To Restrict Automatic Citizenship To Babies Born on U.S. Soil

U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenour blocked the implementation of the Executive Order, calling it “blatantly unconstitutional.”

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Trump Administration Executive Order re: Birthright Citizenship and what it means for Surrogacy

Many IFLG clients and professional colleagues are confused and concerned about whether Mr. Trump, who’s second term started today, can eliminate or impact birthright citizenship in the U.S. and whether this will have any impact on the children born to intended parents coming to the U.S. for surrogacy.

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Rich Vaughn Featured in MIT Technology Review Article on Strange Limbo Facing Millions of IVF Embryos

Frozen embryos are filling storage banks around the world. It's a struggle to know what to do with them. Learn more as IFLG's Founding Partner, Rich Vaughn, is featured in an MIT Technology Review article by Jessica Hamzelou.

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Implications of the 2024 US Election Results on ART

There are consequences of the election results that are tangential and indirectly related to surrogacy and assisted reproduction. Notably for now, seven of the 10 state ballot measures enhancing or clarifying protections of abortion rights were successful.  

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Abortion Access, ART, and the US Elections

With the US Presidential Election only a couple of weeks away, those of us who work in the field of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) are paying very close attention to the polls. Among other extremely significant issues, abortion, ART, contraception, and what constitutes a family are all on the table.

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IFLG Applauds Governor Newsom for Expanding Access to IVF in California

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 729 into law requiring large group health care service plan contracts and disability insurance policies to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of infertility and fertility service, including in vitro fertilization (IVF).

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Alabama High Court Ruling Deems Frozen Embryos Children, Threatens IVF and Sparks Backlash

Earlier this year, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that all embryos are legally regarded as children, stating that Alabama’s Wrongful Death of a Minor Act applies to all unborn children, regardless of their location. By granting frozen embryos the same legal status as living children, the court's decision could dramatically alter how embryos created during assisted reproduction are managed, stored, and disposed of.

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Bloomberg News Health & Law:
States’ IVF Coverage Gap for LGBTQ+ Intended Parents Featuring Rich Vaughn

State insurance laws and health plan policies on fertility coverage are under the microscope of lawmakers and fertility organizations seeking to eliminate what they see as discriminatory obstacles to health care for LGBTQ+ individuals.

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States’ IVF Coverage Gap for LGBTQ+ Intended Parents Featuring Rich Vaughn

The Importance of Telling Children They Were Donor-Conceived

With the ever-changing landscape of modern American family life and the growing number of children being born via sperm or egg donors, the pendulum of public opinion toward this topic, once shrouded in secrecy, has swung toward acceptance and honesty. In the more than 50 years since the inception of assisted reproductive technology (ART), society has slowly adopted a more open and honest approach to telling donor-conceived children about their origin story, as research now shows that they do better in society knowing their biological roots.

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In Defense of Surrogacy: Balancing Religious Values and Individual Choices

Pope Francis recently made an absolute statement advocating for the complete prohibition of surrogacy, a position that reflects the traditional stance of the Roman Catholic Church on assisted reproductive technologies. While we respect everyone’s right to their own religious beliefs, it is equally important to consider that individuals who do not subscribe to those particular teachings should not be compelled to follow them.

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6 Things to Know Before Starting IVF

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 2.3% of babies born yearly in the United States are the result of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) thanks to the work of thousands of ART professionals coupled with the determination, sacrifice, and love of thousands of so many intended parents, egg and sperm donors, and surrogates.

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Texas Abortion Ban Risks Women’s Health and Stretches into the World of Assisted Reproduction

With its restrictive abortion law, the state of Texas has become an example of why bans on abortion are not only a detriment to women’s rights and health, but, as time passes and lawsuits are filed, it is also giving us insight into possible far-reaching consequences in the world of assisted reproduction.

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What’s Really Involved When Donating Your Eggs?

Egg donors have helped thousands of intended parents fulfill their dreams of parenthood. According to a study of prospective egg donors published in the Oxford Academic Journals, 98 percent of participants expressed that altruism played a significant role in their decision to donate eggs.

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‘The Kids Are All Right’ – Study Shows Children Born through Egg Donation, Sperm Donation, and/or Surrogacy Grow Up Just Fine

A 20-year study finds that children born via egg donation, sperm donation, and/or surrogacy grow up just fine, overturning long-held assumptions that children born via assisted reproductive technology (ART) are…

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Trends Gaining Popularity in Reproductive Health

Four new trends in reproductive health have intended parents proactively seeking their own unique path to parenthood.

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Supporting Fertility in the Workplace

Infertility is described as a disease according to the World Health Organization (WHO), and while other diseases such as cancer and diabetes are covered by most employers under their health benefits packages, infertility treatment has taken a back seat. While it is no secret that an unsupported workforce lacks in performance, the added stress and anxiety of struggling with infertility have been shown to lead to employees’ loss of confidence, withdrawal, and even feeling the need to resign.

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Disparities Remain for Black Women Living with Infertility

Although Black History Month is a time to highlight and celebrate achievements in the Black community, it is also a time to acknowledge where we have come from, as Americans…

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Pandemic-Related Surge in IVF Portends More Unused Embryo Custody Disputes  

The recent pandemic-related surge in in vitro fertilization will inevitably contribute to a growing number of legal disputes over the disposition of unused embryos. The best way to avoid what…

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AI Improves Outcomes, Reduces Costs, in Assisted Reproductive Technology

Exciting new tools are using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve success rates for assisted reproduction technologies (ART) such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) and surrogacy, resulting in fewer procedures, lower…

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COVID-19 Vaccination for Surrogates, Update for Intended Parents

Join Rich Vaughn of International Fertility Law Group, Dr. Said Daneshmand of the San Diego Fertility Center and  Darlene Pinkerton of A Perfect Match surrogacy agency for a discussion on…

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Fertility 101 – Surrogacy & IVF

Fertility lawyer Rich Vaughn of International Fertility Law Group discusses the legal objectives and arrangements involved with establishing Parental Rights when utilizing assisted reproductive technology as an option towards the dream of becoming parents. Contact IFLG to learn about how we help parents via IVF establish Parental Rights.

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Barrett Confirmation Could Pose Threat to In Vitro Fertilization

Barrett confirmation to Supreme Court poses a threat to in vitro fertilization (IVF). IFLG calls on Senators to protect reproductive rights. While advocates for reproductive freedom brace for an assault on abortion rights with the potential confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court, fertility professionals fear that access to common infertility treatment such as in vitro fertilization, or IVF, might also be in jeopardy.

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Fatherhood for Gay Men Through Surrogacy Legal Musts and Must-Nots

Watch Rich Vaughn of International Fertility Law Group as he discusses the legal musts and must-nots during his participation in this informative webinar led by leading fertility specialist and advocate for LGBTQ families, Dr. John Norian, in which he discusses 'fatherhood for gay men through surrogacy'.

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Is Assisted Reproductive Technology the Answer to Declining Birth Rates?

Human birth rates have been dropping for decades, over approximately the same period that assisted reproductive technology (ART) has become increasingly efficient, reliable and accessible as a family-building solution. According…

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Surrogacy During COVID-19 Update for Intended Parents, Surrogates and Donors

Join Rich Vaughn of International Fertility Law Group and surrogacy professionals from all over the U.S. for the latest in a series of webinar discussions about the impacts and challenges…

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Pride Month Panel: Family Building with Assisted Reproduction for LGBTQ People

Yesterday I participated in the second weekly national webinar for surrogacy professionals, convened by the American Bar Association and SEEDS (Society for Ethics in Egg Donation and Surrogacy). The webinars have been a great forum for fertility lawyers, reproductive healthcare providers, surrogacy and donor agencies and non-profit advocacy organizations from all over the U.S. to share information about current conditions and issues of concern to our clients and stakeholders.

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U.S. Must Help International Intended Parents, Babies Stranded by Covid-19

As the coronavirus covid-19 crisis wears on, the dilemma of intended parents from other countries planning to have babies through surrogacy in the United States has made for compelling headlines:…

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Surrogacy Professionals Coronavirus COVID-19 Update for Intended Parents, Surrogates

Yesterday I participated in the second weekly national webinar for surrogacy professionals, convened by the American Bar Association and SEEDS (Society for Ethics in Egg Donation and Surrogacy). The webinars have been a great forum for fertility lawyers, reproductive healthcare providers, surrogacy and donor agencies and non-profit advocacy organizations from all over the U.S. to share information about current conditions and issues of concern to our clients and stakeholders.

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COVID-19 Pandemic Forces Intended Parents to Delay Surrogacy

Yesterday I participated in the second weekly national webinar for surrogacy professionals, convened by the American Bar Association and SEEDS (Society for Ethics in Egg Donation and Surrogacy). The webinars have been a great forum for fertility lawyers, reproductive healthcare providers, surrogacy and donor agencies and non-profit advocacy organizations from all over the U.S. to share information about current conditions and issues of concern to our clients and stakeholders.

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