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FACT BRIEF

Does a single round of IVF result in 10-20 abortions?

By Sue Bin Park
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NO

In vitro fertilization, a process in which eggs are harvested from a patient’s ovaries and fertilized with sperm outside of the body, does not involve medically induced abortion.

During IVF, multiple embryos are created to allow for repeated attempts at implantation in the uterus. After a successful IVF pregnancy, patients are typically given the option to cryopreserve or discard the remaining embryos.

IVF does not involve a medically induced termination of a uterine pregnancy, which is what constitutes an abortion. Unsuccessful embryos are terminated outside the body or naturally fail to implant upon transfer.

A controversial ruling from the Alabama Supreme Court in February 2024 extended personhood to embryos resulting from IVF, raising concerns about the treatment’s legal status. Politicians such as Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin stated that the position was not in line with the Republican Party’s views.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Encyclopedia Britannica In vitro fertilization
NPR The science of IVF: What to know about Alabama's 'extrauterine children' ruling
Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute Abortion
KOSU NPR Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin says Alabama IVF ruling 'is not the position' of Republican Party
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Oklahoma Watch
Oklahoma Watch is a nonprofit, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) corporation that produces in-depth and investigative journalism as a public service for the benefit of all Oklahomans. Through investigative, fact-driven journalism, we dig deep and examine significant issues facing our state. Our work engages all Oklahomans, amplifies the discussion of important issues and leads to change. We help develop the journalists and journalism of the future.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.