045: Trending: IVF under fire, a measles outbreak & the dangers of social media for kids
Plus: The important history of Black midwives in this country, the common yet unsafe practice of flying with a baby on your lap & more
Welcome to Two Truths, a bestselling newsletter & media brand exploring the many truths of motherhood from journalists & maternal health advocates Cassie Shortsleeve of Dear Sunday Motherhood & Kelsey Haywood Lucas of Motherspeak. Two Truths is rooted in the healing & affirming principle that two (or more) things can be true. It’s a “best parenting Substack” per Motherly; also seen in The Skimm, Vox, The Bump, Popsugar & more.
This is Two Truths: Trending, a regular feature where we read the internet so you don’t have to. Two Truths: Trending delivers a digest of motherhood-related highlights & headlines — all curated & contextualized with maternal mental health in mind.
In this issue:
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is under fire in Alabama. Here’s what you need to know.
Updates & must-know info on the measles outbreak across the U.S.
It’s common to fly with a baby on your lap…and it’s not safe to do so, say major groups. Here’s why — and how to fly with babies.
Two reports confirm the internet is a dangerous place for children — and social media platforms aren’t doing enough to protect them
It’s time to #FundWomensHealth — here’s why (and how you can help)
You need to know more about the history of Black midwives in this country
Check your ‘pack and play’ mattresses — two major recalls just announced
Gen Z is asking big questions about antidepressants and sex drive
Are ‘serum moms’ the new ‘almond moms’? What to know about kids and skincare
A debate worth reading: Is pregnancy a stressor?
More of this, please: A proud mom moment goes viral on the red carpet
1. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is under fire. Here’s what you need to know.
Last week, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are considered children under state law; it was the first known case in this country to do so.
» First, how did this happen? The ruling comes after multiple couples sued for wrongful death after they claimed that their frozen embryos, created for the purpose of in vitro fertilization (IVF1), were destroyed at a fertility clinic. A lower court initially dismissed these claims, stating that “cryopreserved, in vitro embryos involved in this case do not fit within the definition of a ‘person’ or ‘child,’” but the state Supreme Court reversed the decision, opening up the possibility for parents to sue for wrongful death.
Also: This news may sound shocking and scary, but it shouldn’t be surprising: When Roe v. Wade fell in June of 2022, fertility physicians and advocates warned that if embryos are given “personhood” before being transferred, IVF could be at risk — particularly in states with “trigger laws2.” Big picture, many worry this decision has the ability to influence legislation in other states, putting reproductive rights across the country at even more risk.
» Okay, so what are the impacts of that decision so far? First, the court’s decision does not prohibit IVF in Alabama. But, as of our time of publishing, many major medical centers in the state have halted IVF services. Why? Largely due to uncertainties and fear around both the legal and financial implications of continuing. (Could a provider who transfers an embryo that doesn’t turn into a successful pregnancy be sued? Could a patient? Would frozen embryos need to be stored forever? Who would pay for that?) While those questions have been awaiting answers (more on that below), the pathway to parenthood has remained indefinitely paused for some people in the state.
» So patients of the Alabama clinics that halted IVF services are now in limbo? For now, yes. Read: Marie Claire’s ‘“It’s Been Hell on Earth”: Inside Alabama’s Fertility Crisis.’ This is devastating for many reasons, too. For one, while anyone may need IVF services, many of the populations that do — those experiencing infertility, cancer patients who freeze eggs or sperm preemptively to preserve fertility ahead of invasive treatments, LGBTQ+ couples who still face discrimination and hate, people who decide to become parents later in life…the list goes on — are already up against additional barriers.
Plus, the IVF process can take weeks, months, or even years. It is often full of a vast array of emotions (mothers who conceive via IVF are already at an increased risk for perinatal mental health conditions3 such as perinatal/postpartum depression or perinatal/postpartum anxiety), there’s the possibility of pregnancy loss (IVF “success” rates usually are around 50%), and the physical and mental demands are intense. Most Alabama-based insurance carriers also don’t cover the costs of IVF, so there is a great financial toll.
» So what’s going on now? Yesterday, Senate Republicans struck down a bill that would protect access to IVF nationwide — but today, the Alabama House and Senate both passed bills aimed at protecting IVF in the state. One of the bills states that it would “provide civil and criminal immunity for death or damage to an embryo to any individual or entity when providing or receiving goods or services related to in vitro fertilization.” These bills need to be signed into law by Alabama’s governor, which some sources say could happen next week.
» What can you do? 1) Speak out about this issue — in conversations, on social media, and with your own physicians. 2) Follow, support, and amplify the work of organizations like Doctors for Fertility, co-founded by a group of six fertility physicians (@doctorsforfertility), the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (@asrm_org), and Resolve (@resolveorg). 3) Contact your elected officials and voice your concerns.
» Final takeaway: All in all, there are still lots of questions, and this is a quickly developing story. It’s unclear how the IVF clinics that have closed in Alabama will respond to this news or if/when they will reopen. What is clear is that the attack on reproductive rights in this country is very real right now.
» If you wish to share this info widely, you can find it all in this Instagram post:
2. Updates & must-know info on the measles outbreak across the U.S.
Scary and rare: As of February 22, there were 35 measles cases across the U.S. in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York City, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington. It’s a story that’s making headlines and making parents worried, especially after Florida’s Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, M.D., Ph.D., stated that parents of unvaccinated children could decide whether or not to send their children to school — advice that runs contrary to CDC guidelines that call for unvaccinated people who have been exposed to measles to stay home for up to 21 days. Measles was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000 (meaning “the disease is no longer constantly present in this country,” even though there have been small outbreaks since then). In large, that’s thanks to mass vaccination. The Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine is the most effective way to prevent measles. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends children receive two doses: the first dose between 12 and 15 months and the second dose between 4 and 6 years. Two doses are about 97% protective against measles; one dose is about 93% effective. If measles is active in your community, you may also have an option to vaccinate before 12 months.
3. It’s common to fly with a baby on your lap…and it’s not safe to do so, say major groups. Here’s why — and how to fly with babies.
The National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA all want to do away with “lap flying” — the common practice of babies under 2 sitting on caregivers laps in-flight instead of having their own seat and traveling in a car seat. The groups are (again) urging parents to book airplane seats for babies in the wake of a door plug blowing out in-flight during Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 in January, which had three lap infants on board. All the infants were okay, but the incident — which left a hole in the side of the plane — served as a reminder that things could have been worse. All in all: “Lap flying” is allowed, a very popular way to travel, and discouraged by major professional groups. Need a car seat for a flight? After connecting with Michelle Pratt of @safeintheseat, Cassie found the best lightweight convertible car seat for air travel to be the Evenflo Sonus 65. We also love the Doona car seat and stroller (it’s a combo that’s narrow enough to roll down an airplane aisle).
» Related reading: ‘Stressful and worth it: a mini guide to traveling with little kids.’
4. Two reports confirm the internet is a dangerous place for children — and social media platforms aren’t doing enough to protect them
In the past 10 days, two newly published reports reveal a deeply disturbing look at the dangers that lurk within social media platforms for kids.
1) The New York Times analyzed 2.1 million Instagram posts, monitored months of online chats of professed pedophiles, and interviewed over 100 people (including parents and children) to expose ‘A Marketplace of Girl Influencers Managed by Moms and Stalked by Men,’ diving into the ways and reasons that some parents knowingly cater content to pedophiles in exchange for money and social clout.
2) According to The Wall Street Journal, Meta staff were aware that the Instagram subscription tool enabled child exploitation — but the company “pressed ahead anyway.”
» These reports are distressing; it’s easy to feel horrified and helpless. This reminder from Aliza Pressman, Ph.D., author of The 5 Principles of Parenting: Your Guide To Raising Good Humans, really hit home:
[partner content]
It’s time to #FundWomensHealth
If you read the special edition of Two Truths: Trending devoted to women’s health research, you’re aware of this troubling truth: Almost everything we know in medicine is about men. “Women’s health has been shaped by misogyny and downright ignorance. Elevating our collective women’s health IQ can only be fueled by education backed by research — female-specific study,” Alex Taylor, co-founder of Perelel, said recently. And that’s why the supplement company (which caters to various stages of the reproductive journey, from trying to conceive through motherhood and beyond) recently announced a $10 million pledge to help close the “research gap” and build a world that better supports women’s health.
Join the Perelel Pledge to #FundWomensHealth by visiting PerelelHealth.com/Pages/Our-Impact to learn more, or donating here.
» Special thanks to Perelel for supporting Two Truths. Readers can use the code TWOTRUTHS for 20% off a first-time purchase.
5. You need to know more about the history of Black midwives in this country
By now, you’re likely aware of the racist history of the field of obstetrics; but a big part of that history has to do with the critical work of Black midwives, who — for years, before the field of obstetrics and gynecology existed in the way that it does now — were at the forefront of birth in this country. We learned more about that from this educational Reel by Kate Novotny (@taprootdoula); it explains the crucial community role Black midwives played, the ways in which midwives’ work wasn’t preserved throughout the years, and how racism was laced through the changes that came about. Racism and very real racial inequities in birth still persist, too. Groups like Black Mamas Matter, National Birth Equity Collaborative, Irth, Mamatotovillage, and so many others are working to change care for Black mothers.
» Related reading: ‘Tragic and preventable: 5 ways to help address the Black maternal mortality crisis.’
6. Check your ‘pack and play’ mattresses — two major recalls just announced
If you’ve recently bought a ‘pack and play’ mattress on Amazon, this is for you: Two different infant mattresses exclusively available on Amazon — the Spring Spirit and Biloban Pack and Play Mattresses — have just been recalled by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission due to a suffocation hazard to infants. There have been no incidents or injuries reported yet. Find mattress details here.
7. Gen Z is asking big questions about antidepressants and sex drive
‘Are You Asexual Or On Antidepressants?’ That’s the question
of asks in a piece that points a finger at Selective Serotonin Re-Uptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) for their sometimes extreme sexual side effects. The piece speaks to Gen Z but may be of interest to anyone who takes an SSRI.8. Are ‘serum moms’ the new ‘almond moms’? What to know about kids and skincare
Sending this column for The Guardian by beauty culture critic
of to every new mom we know, especially the dear friend who just asked for advice on her 6-week-old’s “baby acne.” The TL;DR: Do nothing. The deeper dive: Beware you’re not inadvertently projecting your own internalized beauty and skincare baggage onto your children.9. A debate worth reading: Is pregnancy a stressor?
In a detailed and nuanced issue of
, stress physiologist and writer and , author of Mother Brain and , debate a simple and complex question: Is pregnancy itself a stressor? The answer is longer, more complicated, and more interesting than you’d imagine. Plus, you’ll learn a thing (or 10).10. And we’ll leave you with this…
Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham repped all moms, everywhere, when she hit the Screen Actors Guild Awards red carpet with an “evening bag” made from cardboard by her 9-year-old daughter — and gushed about it in an interview. Here’s to proud mom moments getting the spotlight they deserve.
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Last thing: Read about us on the Happiest Baby blog!
In a recent spotlight on Two Truths for Happiest Baby, we talked all about this newsletter’s birth story and future goals, the psychological philosophy behind holding two truths, and how we prioritize our own maternal mental health.
✨ Thanks for reading! To support this work (done between naps, after bedtimes, and before school pickups), please consider upgrading to a paid subscription (it’s just $5/month or $50/year to get the premium experience — every single issue, exclusive content and giveaways, access to the full archive of content, and more). You can also hit the heart button to tell us you enjoyed this issue, share it on social media (don’t forget to tag @twotruthsmotherhood on IG), or forward it to a friend. We appreciate you. —Cassie and Kelsey
IVF is a widely known form, and one of the most successful forms, of assisted reproductive technology (ART), a fertility treatment to help people get pregnant that has been around since 1978. While it began with success rates in the single digits, now, about half of cases for women who are under the age of 35 result in a pregnancy.
During IVF, a woman takes hormonal medications (by way of injections) to mature eggs in the body. Eggs are then retrieved from the ovaries through a surgical procedure, an egg is fertilized with sperm in a laboratory setting, then an embryo is transferred to the uterus. A week or two after a transfer, if the transfer is successful, a pregnancy can be detected.
A trigger law is an unenforceable law that can become enforceable if something changes. While the laws restricting or banning abortion passed in individual states, they never took effect because Roe v. Wade prevented the criminalization of abortion across the country.
But when Roe v. Wade was struck down in June 2022, those trigger laws could go into action; 13 states immediately enacted their trigger laws by outlawing or severely restricting abortion access.
Resources and Support For Maternal Mental Health
Emergency assistance is available 24/7 at 911
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 at 988
The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (1-833-TLC-MAMA or 1-833-852-6262) provides access to a trained counselor 24/7 and is available in Spanish and English
Postpartum Support International provides educational resources on PMADs, free support groups, webinars, advanced trainings for providers, and more
Postpartum Support International’s provider directory includes a list of thousands of trained professionals organized by state
The Motherhood Center offers counseling, support groups, and webinars
The Postpartum Stress Center offers educational resources, counseling, a referral list of trained providers, and advanced training for providers
SUPPORT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH WITH POSTPARTUM SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL (PSI). PSI is a global champion for perinatal mental health that connects individuals and families to the resources and support needed to give them the strongest and healthiest start possible. Visit postpartum.net for information on perinatal mental health disorders, access to 30+ free, online support groups, an online provider directory, the PSI HelpLine, local support coordinators, a perinatal mental health discussion tool, specialized support resources, and more. Call the PSI HelpLine toll-free at 1-800-944-4773 for basic information, support, and resources. Support via text message is also available at 800-944-4773 (English) and 971-203-2773 (Español). Remember: You are not alone. You are not to blame. With help, you will be well.