Tim Walz, the Democratic Minnesota governor vying for vice president, has become a reproductive rights champion, not only advocating against abortion bans, but he has been outspoken about the right to maintain access to fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI.) For Walz, as he’s discussed before, the issue is personal. In a couple of his speeches on the campaign trail, including at the Democratic National Convention, he’s talked about how he and his spouse, Gwen, struggled to conceive.
“Even if you’ve never experienced the hell of infertility, I guarantee you know somebody who has,” Walz said. “I remember praying each night for a call with good news, the pit in my stomach when the phone would ring, and the agony when we heard the treatments hadn’t worked.”
Walz and Gwen used intrauterine insemination to conceive, which is the insemination of sperm cells directly into the uterus. In an interview with Glamour, Gwen said the family’s “infertility journey was an incredibly personal and difficult experience.” For a while, the family kept it “largely” to themselves.
It’s unusual for a man in politics to talk openly about infertility. Only recently has it become a more discussed topic, in part because it’s difficult to separate from other discussions on reproductive rights, including abortion. As the nation witnessed in February of this year, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are “extrauterine children” sending devastating ripple effects across the state halting IVF treatments. But experts and people who have experienced infertility directly tell Salon that one silver lining of IVF being in the limelight is that it continues to normalize and destigmatize infertility treatments.
Danette Kubanda, a mother of three who has undergone IVF, said that hearing Walz talk about his family’s experience with infertility had her “bawling like a baby.”
“Even though my little IVF miracles are now 11, 9 and 9, I am instantly transported back to those overwhelming feelings of despair, desperation and isolation that so many of us experience upon hearing our diagnosis,” Kubanda told Salon via email. “Seeing the emotion on his [Walz] and his son’s faces reminded me how much these children are wanted and loved as we fought so hard to bring them into the world.”
Kubanda added it comforts her to know that she isn’t alone.
“We have nothing to be ashamed of and we are not broken, even though those feelings often creep up during the journey,” Kubanda said. “Having politicians, celebrities and public figures share their stories encourages me in so many ways, but especially in being more open with my own story.”
One in six people will experience infertility. More than 2 percent of infants in the U.S. are born through assisted reproductive technology. As public figures continue to normalize conversations around fertility treatments and alternative paths to parenthood, it gives people more opportunities to feel less alone.
“Politicians’ discussions about fertility treatments in the U.S. have helped further eliminate any stigma by putting it center stage.”
“It’s important for public figures to continue to normalize conversations around fertility treatments and alternative paths to parenthood,” Dr. Roger Shedlin, CEO and Founder of WIN (formerly WINFertility), a leading specialty benefit management company that is focused on fertility, family building and family well-being, told Salon. “While many don’t see any stigma tied to infertility treatments, but rather as a way to build their families, politicians’ discussions about fertility treatments in the U.S. have helped further eliminate any stigma by putting it center stage.”
Shedlin added infertility is not something to be ashamed of, and that over the last few years, there has been an increase in openness from celebrities and public figures with their own fertility stories — which has made a huge impact on families going through the same experience. Michelle Obama and former Vice President Mike Pence have also shared their family’s experiences with infertility.
Want more health and science stories in your inbox? Subscribe to Salon’s weekly newsletter Lab Notes.
“Tim Walz has also helped normalize the conversation by bringing it to a national stage in a new way,” Shedlin said. “Despite infertility impacting millions, undergoing any fertility treatment – whether it’s IUI, IVF or another route – can be a lonely journey and takes a toll on families.”
Shedlin added it can be a “significant emotional, physical and financial investment and has also recently been a hot political debate topic.” Indeed, many people struggling with infertility experience anxiety and depressive symptoms.
“With Tim Walz sharing his experiences and with Gwen Walz addressing the loneliness she felt, it makes the topic and treatment more relatable as we are seeing public figures share their journeys,” Shedlin added.
Lauren Freeman, who went through IVF in 2020, now has a three-year-old son, told Salon via email she has always “felt a pull” to share her story.
“It’s a monumental thing I went through and I have found comfort when speaking with other women who share similar experiences,” Freeman said. “Hearing someone like Tim Walz be so open and vulnerable about him and his wife’s infertility journey in such a public way is very validating and comforting.”
Barbara Collura, President and CEO of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, said in a media statement that Walz’s story helps “would-be parents across the country feel seen.” But it’s also beneficial to have politicians who have personally experienced infertility to advocate for policies that make treatments easier for parents, which is most needed in this moment.
“We need our elected representatives at the state and federal level, and government officials to do everything in their power to make it easier, not harder, for people to build their families,” Collura said. “This year has seen an increase in the number of bills and court rulings that threaten to restrict access to medically necessary care for people who struggle to build a family.”
Read more
about reproductive rights