Shanyah Womack

Mrs. O’Neill

English 100

29 October 2023

Frozen in time

In 2020, the government began having conversations about overturning Roe v. Wade. On

June 24, 2022, they finally did it. Roe v. Wade was overturned and by August 5, 2022 Indiana

became the first state to ban abortions, while 23 other states followed suit. Hysteria broke out

and protests began. The war between anti-abortion activists and pro-choice arose threatening

care that pertain specifically to women's health, including contraceptives and In vitro

fertilization. IVF treatment is an extensive and costly procedure that women undergo to be able

to conceive. Roe v. Wade being overturned may affect the choices these women have to conceive

these children or not. On June 23, 2022, Ruthie Ackerman briefly described her life and the

struggles she encountered when it came to conception, until I.V.F. Thanks to this procedure she

was given the opportunity to be a mother. This does not mean she is exempt from the overturn of

Roe v. Wade and that it has not made any impact on her life. Ackerman talks about the 5

fertilized eggs that she still has and how she has not decided what to do with them. She explains

how she is still entertained by the thought of having more children but remains undecided,

however her time may be running out. With the overturn of Roe v. Wade in question, Ackerman

fears that the decision to use or discard her eggs may no longer be hers to make. Not only does

this law affect abortions, but it has also created a ripple effect in the medical world. Now that

women are no longer protected by the constitution it has the potential to negatively impact I.V.F

treatments, contraceptives and other care pertaining to women's health.

Ruthie Ackerman makes an effective argument by using the rhetorical tactics of pathos, ethos,

and personal stories to impose the question, “If Roe v. Wade is overturned,"What does this mean

for patients of I.V.F treatments, and eggs that are already stored?”

With emotional appeals, Ackerman stresses the urgency of the decision to overturn Roe v.

Wade and the weight anti-abortion activists now hold over I.V.F patients. Ackerman explains

how this not only directly affects abortions, but it also interferes with In vitro fertilization,

regardless of the intent. Fearful of a decision that has yet to come because it could mean the end

of I.V.F all together. “While anti-abortion activists don't appear to be coming after I.V.F.

intentionally, the fear is that in clamping down on abortion, state laws may hinder assisted

reproductive technologies too. I.V.F. wasn't an option for families until after Roe v. Wade was

decided, so we're entering uncharted waters” (Ackerman). In addition, Ackerman includes more

possible outcomes I.V.F patients could face with the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Putting emphasis

on the problems that this law has the ability to create for women and families in America and the

stress it would cause. “All of that could make I.V.F. more expensive and more difficult to gain

access to -- adding a burden to an already burdensome process that is out of reach for so many

American families” (Ackerman). Ackerman mentions how the situation affected her. “Part of me

feels enraged that the state would get to decide something tied to how I identify as a person, and

how we identify as a family” (Ackerman). Ackerman is now troubled by the thought of the

government taking a decision that once belonged to her.

Ackerman also uses personal stories to build a connection with the audience and give her

story credibility. Ackermen mentions her personal attachment to her eggs and the extensive

treatment she underwent to get them, reiterating and rationalizing her strong feelings on the

topic. “Maybe it's because I went through so much to have a child that I can't let go of our
embryos... I underwent two rounds of I.V.F., during which my doctors had to surgically remove

my eggs after pumping me with hormones for weeks, leaving my body and my mind bruised and

battered” (Ackerman). By doing this, Ackerman is able to form an emotional connection with her

audience. I.V.F is still fairly recent technology; few people know what it entails. The use of

personal stories added credibility to the text because she would be directly affected by the

overturn of Roe v. Wade based on her personal experience.

Ackerman uses fear mongering to give the audience insight on the reality that these

women are facing. She explains how the legislative push for abortion to be banned from the

moment of conception affects everyone. “Legislation that could threaten not only abortion access

but also access to some forms of birth control and even I.V.F”(Ackerman). Making an

eye-opening comment about how people could potentially be legally penalized for choosing to

discard fertilized embryos, and how the gravity of the situation should not be overlooked. “If a

fertilized egg is considered a life, could discarding embryos someday be considered

manslaughter?” (Ackerman). Ackerman is using this specific tactic to urge the audience to look

deeper into the situation and consider all that is at stake. By doing so, she can communicate the

fact that the overturn of Roe v. Wade will have catastrophic effects on the decisions women

make.The last strategy Ackerman used was metaphorical comparison. This was placed

strategically through the text to make light of a situation that deeply troubled her; you see this

when she says things like “the pendulum swing of indecision” (Ackerman). Here she is referring

to her inability to decide whether she wants to keep, use, or discard her embryos. Another

example is the comparison she makes to her embryos directly. “Sometimes I imagine our frozen

embryos like the soldiers in "The Nutcracker" -- an inert stack of toys that, if Rob and I were to

wave our magic wands, would suddenly open their eyes, their rickety bodies jerking to and fro”
(Ackerman). This form of figurative language adds meaning to the text. By comparing her

embryos to inert objects that jump to life on command, as opposed to what they truly are, to

avoid the painful truth. Ackerman is able to heighten the emotional response of the audience.

By using these different persuasive techniques, Ruthie Ackerman was able to connect

with the audience on an emotional level, giving educational insight into what the overturn of Roe

v. Wade could mean to women around the country. Ackerman was able to incorporate personal

experience to strengthen her argument without any bias. Ackerman talked about what she went

through and continues to go through as a woman and what this trial could mean for not only her

but other women and families around the country. This article was the first step in getting people

to understand that Roe v. Wade is not just pro-life and pro-choice and is much more complex and

hopefully changes people's minds about how they decide to vote.

 Works Cited

Ackerman, Ruthie. "What Happens to I.V.F. if Roe Falls?: [Op-Ed]." New York Times, Jun

23, 2022. ProQuest,

https://login.dccc.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.dccc.idm.oclc.org/

newspapers/what-happens-i-v-f-if-roe-falls/docview/2679506260/se-2.