LANSING, Mich. – Sarah Markiewicz seeks to have another child with a frozen embryo, while her ex-husband, David Markiewicz, doesn’t.
The Michigan Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday regarding the future of the former couple’s frozen embryo.
“The reality is imposing unwanted parenthood on a parent is a serious consideration that can’t be taken lightly,” said Trish Haas, David Markiewicz’s attorney.
“We would ask the court to take consideration of the significant financial cost of restarting the IVF process. The record indicates that restarting would cost $15,000 at the time of the hearing, which was over a third of Ms. Markiewicz’s income,” said Nicholas Curcio, Sarah Markiewicz’s attorney.
The couple had four children during their marriage, three of whom were conceived through IVF using Sarah’s sister’s egg and David’s sperm.
The lower court ruled that the embryo was marital property and ruled in favor of David.
After multiple appeals, the case has reached the Michigan Supreme Court, where their ruling could have far-reaching implications.
“We should never be in a position where a court or a party gets to force someone else into parenthood. That’s what you know Michiganders all across the state voted for when they passed the Reproductive Freedom For All amendment in 2022, saying that every individual should have the right to decide what happens with their own body and whether or not they become a parent in the future,” ACLU Michigan Deputy Legal Director Bonsitu Kitaba-Gaviglio said.
Right to Life Legislative Director Genevieve Marnon said in a statement that: “This case highlights the ethical questions surrounding the status of human embryos. As you know, the IVF industry is highly unregulated, leading to unethical practices and the wide-spread destruction of human embryos. We believe that human life begins at conception and embryos are deserving special protection.
