California expands access to in vitro fertilization with new law requiring insurers to cover it

Having a baby via in vitro fertilization is about to become more accessible for many Californians after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law requiring certain health insurers to cover the fertility treatment.

IVF is a process in which eggs are retrieved from the ovaries and fertilized by sperm in a lab. The fertilized egg, or embryo, is then transferred to the uterus. The process can be stressful and emotional. It's also expensive. Treatments can run in the tens of thousands of dollars, making it unattainable for some and leaving others in debt.

California's move to insure IVF comes after four similar bills over the last five years stalled in the Legislature. At least 14 other states already require that IVF be covered.

Newsom's signature also follows IVF's emergence as a contested issue in the presidential election, and after a controversial court decision in Alabama jeopardized access to fertility treatment for people in that state.