Rich Vaughn’s appointment as ABA Family Law Section Chair recognizes decades of leadership advancing ART law, surrogacy, and family-building worldwide.
The Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship and ruled against Trump's Executive Order 14160, reaffirming Fourteenth Amendment protections.
The law of assisted reproduction must evolve alongside the families it serves and the science enabling them. At IFLG, we see daily how inconsistent legal approaches affect intended parents worldwide. Since the 1992 Davis v. Davis decision—which set early guidance for frozen-embryo disputes by emphasizing prior agreements and the right to avoid procreation—states have adopted conflicting frameworks, creating uncertainty. Uniform statutes are now essential to replace outdated, inconsistent case law and ensure fairness and protection for everyone involved in assisted reproduction.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenour blocked the implementation of the Executive Order, calling it “blatantly unconstitutional.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
Italy has made it illegal for couples to go abroad to have a baby through surrogacy. It’s a move critics say would criminalize parenthood for some couples — in particular gay men.
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).
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.
The way to address potential concerns about surrogacy is not - as some say - prohibition or restriction, but in fact acceptance and robust regulation. Evidence shows that surrogacy is not inherently harmful and can - and almost always does - produce good outcomes for all involved.
While male scientists have traditionally received most of the credit for developing the field of assisted reproductive technology (ART), many women who pioneered vital components of the in vitro fertilization (IVF) process have remained in the background. Yet without their often-heroic efforts, the rapid technological advancement and vastly improved outcomes characteristic of modern fertility treatment would not have been possible.
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.
Molly O'Brien, an attorney specializing in art law, shares her journey into the field of surrogacy and egg donation and becoming a passionate advocate for the rights of parents, surrogates, and donors alike. Molly discusses the importance of ethical practices in the surrogacy and egg donation industry and highlights the work of SEEDS (Society of Ethics in Egg Donation and Surrogacy) in setting standards for agencies and industry professionals.
IFLG's Molly O'Brien explains to IVF Daddies the importance of having a lawyer in the IVF process and how they provide independent guidance to intended parents. The conversation then delves into the egg donation process, including choosing a donor, screening, and the legal contract.
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.
Attorney Molly O’Brien, Partner at International Fertility Law Group and President of @seedsethics , offers crucial insights into Alabama’s recent embryo wrongful death lawsuit decision. With over two decades of experience in surrogacy and egg donation, Molly advocates passionately ♥️ for reproductive freedoms and medical autonomy.
This week the world was shook by the surprise ruling of the Alabama Supreme Court, declaring that embryos created through in vitro fertilization (IVF) should be considered children. When creating embryos, the patients are aware of the possibility that they may be destroyed and unable to be successfully transferred. However, with this new ruling legal consequences could come with unsuccessful transfers.
Listen to IFLG partner and current SEEDS President, Molly O'Brien, Esq. discuss surrogacy with Carey Flamer-Powell, Founder and Director of Surrogacy Mentor and Modern Parent Mentor.
IFLG's Molly O'Brien explains to IVF Daddies the importance of having a lawyer in the IVF process and how they provide independent guidance to intended parents. The conversation then delves into the egg donation process, including choosing a donor, screening, and the legal contract.
International Fertility Law Group joins The American Society for Reproductive Medicine and RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association in condemning the ruling by the Supreme Court of Alabama in LePage v. Mobile Infirmary Clinic, classifying embryos as children.
As a growing number of same-sex couples turn to assisted reproductive technology (ART) to create their families, many are disheartened to find disparities in reproductive healthcare benefits provided by employers and insurers compared to their heterosexual counterparts. In many cases, LGBTQ couples are being denied fertility benefits, because they don’t fit into an antiquated mold of traditional male and female gender roles.
International Fertility Law Group (IFLG) is proud to announce that Lori S. Meyers, Esq., will be joining the firm as a partner on April 15th, 2024.
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.
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.
Prior to 2012, egg freezing had been deemed “experimental” by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), and the procedure had been largely only available to patients who were undergoing chemotherapy or other medical treatments that affect fertility. Removing egg freezing from the classification of “experimental” opened the procedure up to a larger population of women, and now over a decade later, the number of women freezing their eggs to preserve their fertility has increased significantly.
Mitochondrial Donation Therapy offers hope to families by preventing the passing of genetic disorders from parent to child. Mitochondrial DNA is passed down from mother to child, and genetically mutated mitochondria can carry an array of incurable disorders such as muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, neurological problems, seizures, vision and hearing loss, muscle weakness, cognitive and developmental delays, and early death.
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.
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.
Posthumous reproduction, creating genetic offspring after the death of an intended parent, raises complex social, ethical and legal issues.
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…
If passed into law, SB 729 would redefine infertility and require health plans to cover assisted reproductive technologies including in vitro fertilization (IVF), sperm testing/deposits, cryopreservation, egg retrievals, and embryo transfers (as long as any such embryo transfers are single-embryo transfers as recommended by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)). This is the farthest any bill mandating fertility coverage equality has gotten in California to date.
Genetic bereavement, the loss of being able to carry a genetic child, can be all consuming and managing that grief is essential. Worldwide, 17.5% of adults are affected by infertility, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), many of whom will find out during their fertility journey that their dreams of parenting a genetic child will never be fulfilled. While they may continue pursuing their dreams of parenthood via assisted reproductive technology (ART), they will need to use donor eggs, sperm, or embryos to create their families.
There are several key factors to consider when choosing an egg or sperm donor to build your family through assisted reproductive technology. As technology has evolved and family dynamics and demographics have changed, the use of egg and sperm donors has gained in popularity. Although current culture makes choosing a donor seem like an easy process, there are in fact several aspects to consider before proceeding.
Long-term effects of anonymous sperm donation have emerged as technology evolves, and donor-conceived people discover their past.
Four new trends in reproductive health have intended parents proactively seeking their own unique path to parenthood.
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.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) stands to change the fertility world by revolutionizing outdated systems which may influence IVF success rates, the accuracy of cataloging frozen gametes, and lessen the overall cost of fertility treatments.
Disparities continue for Black intended parents with the high cost of IVF, lack of insurance mandates and diversity in the medical community
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…
Cryopreservation continues to help with new innovations giving cancer patients, embryo donation recipients, and war veterans fertility hope.
The overturning of Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court this summer had elected officials in many states vowing to protect women’s rights, while other states’ leaders already had…
It’s been over eight months since Russia invaded Ukraine, and the daily images of bombed buildings, bloodied survivors, military tanks, and a nation bravely fighting for its freedom have largely subsided. Western and central Ukraine have stabilized
If you have not requested an expedited birth certificate, it may take several weeks before your child’s birth certificate is available. Generally a written or online request is required for you to receive your child’s birth certificate, along with confirmation that you are an “authorized” person. You can order the certificate via an online service such as vitalchek.com or directly from the County Clerk or Recorder in the county where your baby was born. We strongly suggest you purchase multiple copies of your child’s birth certificate—particularly if you do not reside in the US or will need to request an amended birth certificate in future. The office will charge a per-copy fee.
Once the birth certificate worksheet is completed, the hospital birth clerk will send it to the vital records office in the county in which your child was born.
In the case of an expedited birth certificate request, ask the hospital birth clerk for the address of the local vital records office, where you will pick up the birth certificate in person. Call before you go to confirm the birth certificate is ready and available for you to pick up.
If you need an expedited birth certificate, as you might if you plan to take your baby home to another country, ask the hospital birth clerk to expedite the birth certificate request at this time. In most cases, you will receive the expedited birth certificate within a few days.
Following your baby’s birth, the hospital birth clerk will complete a birth certificate and birth registration worksheet.
Some states require that the birth registration documents include some information about the surrogate for public health and statistical purposes only, but such information will appear only on the confidential portion of the birth registration; however, the official birth certificate will not contain this information.
If your baby is born in a “pre-birth state,” where pre-birth orders of parentage are permitted for babies born via surrogacy, the birth clerk will use information from the pre-birth parentage judgment we obtain on your behalf. The parentage judgment will direct the registrar to allow you to name the child, as well as list you as the parent(s).
In states where pre-birth parentage orders are not allowed, the process is essentially the same except the birth clerk will eventually use information from the post-birth order we obtain on your behalf. In some instances, the birth clerk will need to send the birth registration to vital records before the post-birth order is obtained; and in these situations, the state’s Vital Records will enter the correct birth registration to show you as the legal parent(s).
