Gwen Walz’s Emotional Fertility Journey Revealed Before US Election

Minnesota’s First Lady, Gwen Walz, who is married to Democratic Governor Tim Walz, Vice President Kamala Harris’ current running mate, recently opened up about her personal fertility struggles in an essay for Women’s Health, published as the November 5 election approaches.

The Democratic duo is gearing up for a tough battle against the Republican ticket, which includes former President Donald Trump, a staunch supporter of Florida’s six-week abortion restriction, and known for his pride in appointing three Supreme Court justices who played roles in overturning Roe v. Wade. Their opponents also include Senator JD Vance (R-Ohio), whose candidacy underscores a commitment to imposing a nationwide abortion ban.

Vice President Harris, having assumed leadership roles from President Joe Biden earlier this summer, has garnered significant backing from those advocating for reproductive rights. Her decision to run alongside Governor Walz, known for enacting laws to bolster abortion rights and protect those seeking or providing abortions and gender-affirming care from conservative legal challenges, has been widely applauded.

“Donald Trump is the one who dismantled Roe. I can’t trust him, and frankly, I refuse to entrust my daughter’s reproductive rights to him.”

During their campaign, Tim and Gwen Walz have not shied away from discussing their challenging path to parenthood with their children, Hope, age 23, and Gus, who just turned 18. Gwen Walz’s narrative in Women’s Health emphasizes her anger and frustration following the overturning of Roe, a sentiment propelled into action by a controversial ruling from the Alabama Supreme Court.

In February, this ruling in Alabama treated frozen embryos as children under the Wrongful Death of a Minor Act, effectively pausing in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures in the state and heightening concerns over what Republican dominance in federal governance might mean for the future of fertility treatments and reproductive freedoms more broadly.

“No one should dictate the timing or conditions of starting a family. But the decision from Alabama’s Supreme Court was a tipping point that moved us to action,” Gwen Walz expressed. “We endured our own challenges to build our family, but now we face a new mission. We must use our positions as governor and first lady, and on the campaign trail with Kamala Harris, to share our experiences nationwide.”

She detailed her use of Clomid, a drug that enhances hormone production to stimulate egg production, and the support from their neighbor Mary, a nurse and mother of three, who assisted with the necessary injections to increase the likelihood of pregnancy and successful fertilization.

“Our journey involved intrauterine insemination (IUI), and we finally conceived Hope right before Easter after years of infertility struggles,” Walz shared. “It’s heartbreaking to think that our daughter, along with women in 21 states with restrictive abortion laws, might have fewer rights than we did.”

“Donald Trump, who dismantled Roe, cannot be trusted with my daughter’s, or any woman’s, reproductive health. If re-elected, I fear he will push for a national abortion ban,” she continued. “But I am determined to use my vote to support voices like Kamala Harris and my husband, Tim, who respect women’s choices, as opposed to Trump and JD Vance, who clearly do not. It’s crucial everyone realizes the power of their vote and the importance of advocating for every woman’s reproductive rights.”

The essay was met with gratitude on social media, with the advocacy group Reproductive Freedom for All commending Gwen Walz for her candidness and dedication to safeguarding fertility treatments for all Americans.

Reproductive Freedom for All, which has formally endorsed the Harris-Walz ticket, continues its efforts to engage voters in key states. According to Mini Timmaraju, the organization’s president and CEO, “Engaging community members in discussions is one of the most potent ways to mobilize voters.”

“Voter enthusiasm for reproductive rights has never been higher,” she added. “The stakes are immense, and we must commit fully to defending our reproductive freedoms.”