Gretchen Rossi Is "on a Mission to Literally Change Legislation" About IVF

When Gretchen Rossi and Slade Smiley held a gender reveal party for their baby last month, the mood was celebratory (to put it mildly.) But just in case the confetti cannons didn't give it away, let's just say this: The Real Housewives of Orange County alum and her beau are beyond thrilled to be welcoming a baby girl this July. Because for Slade and Gretchen, the road to conception was arduous, expensive, emotional, and long. 

The couple has been open about their grueling IVF journey. Gretchen first started IVF four years ago, and lost 14 embryos before having another one implanted last fall. Then in December, she announced the joyful, long-awaited news: "Finally we have news that we are pregnant!" the former 'Wife said during an interview on The Doctors. "It's so wild. It still doesn't feel real."

Needless to say, infertility is an issue that's near and dear to Gretchen's heart. And now, she and Slade are determined to make the process of IVF easier — or at least more affordable — for hopeful parents. 

In an Instagram Story from March 14, the mama-to-be shared her mission in a video she made in the car, while on the way to Los Angeles with Slade.

Photo: @gretchenrossi/Instagram Stories

Photo: @gretchenrossi/Instagram Stories

"We are having our friends Kyle and Samantha Busch — you know Kyle Busch, the NASCAR driver that's going to break a lot of records right now — he and his wife have been through IVF and we have partnered up with them and we are going to make some changes," she said. "We are on a mission to literally change legislation. I'm going to go to Capitol Hill, mark my words, and we're gonna make some changes for all those families out there that can't afford infertility treatments. I'm gonna get insurance companies to cover it."

Yes, Gretchen knows this won't be easy. "I know that's a very tall order, and I'm not quite sure how I'm gonna do it yet, but I'm on a mission," she said, laughing. "A couple weeks ago, I woke up literally in the middle of the night at 2 a.m., and I'm just heartbroken about the families that don't have the ability to start a family because they truly have a disease. They have infertility. It was diagnosed a disease a couple years ago and insurance companies really need to step up and be covering this. It's a real thing, and there's seven million couples struggling with infertility. So I'm on a mission to make a change, change legislation, so wish me luck." 

Gretchen promised her followers that she would not only keep them in the loop about progress on her mission, but ask for their involvement as well. "I'm gonna need your guys' help," she said. "So when I reach out to say help please with this, sign a petition, or get involved in whatever campaign we're launching, I need your guys' help because that's the only way we're going to make change."