The Palm Springs clinic suffered physical damage but no loss of embryos. The May 17 attack was condemned by the ASRM.
BY RON SHINKMAN
An IVF clinic in Palm Springs, Calif. was damaged by a bomb planted by an individual espousing anti-natalist beliefs, law enforcement officials say, prompting a denunciation from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).
The explosion at the American Reproductive Centers in Palm Springs occurred on the morning of May 17. The offices on Indian Canyon Drive across the street from Desert Regional Medical Center were heavily damaged by an explosion witnesses said they felt from blocks away.
“We are immensely grateful to share that no members of the ARC team were harmed, and our lab—including all eggs, embryos, and reproductive materials—remains fully secure and undamaged,” the clinic said in an online statement. “We are…conducting a complete safety inspection and have confirmed that our operations and sensitive medical areas were not impacted by the blast.”
ARC Palm Springs also said it was “fully operational” as of Monday, May 19.
The clinic’s physician, Maher Abdallah, M.D. – who put his name to the statement issued by the clinic – did not respond to a request seeking comment.
Information on suspect, anti-natalist movement
The suspect, identified by the FBI as 25-year-old Guy Edward Bartkus, was confirmed to have died in the attack. There were at least four other injuries connected to the bombing, according to the FBI.
Akil Davis, the FBI’s assistant director in charge of its Los Angeles office, said that Bartkus “had access to a large quantity of commercially available chemical products which could be combined to create a homemade explosive device.”
News coverage has linked Bartkus to numerous online postings suggesting that it was wrong for people to be conceived and born without their consent. He was also critical of the use of reproductive medicine and technology.
“Basically I’m anti-life. And IVF is like kind of the epitome of pro-life ideology,” Bartkus said in a video he posted apparently just prior to the bombing.
The FBI has stated that the attack was domestic terrorism.
The ASRM issued a statement condemning the bombing, calling it “the latest in a horrific series of attacks against healthcare providers and facilities. “Sadly, those of us working in reproductive medicine are no strangers to these threats. We have seen physicians murdered, facilities attacked, and patients being harassed, threatened, and harmed,” the statement read in part. “We must not allow such violence to extend into the realm of fertility care.”
An ASRM spokesperson did not respond to a request seeking further comment.
Meanwhile, there has been a rise in the pro-natalist movement aided by the Trump administration, which has pushed for an increased birthrate among American women. A spending bill pending in Congress would automatically fund $1,000 investment accounts for a significant number of newborns in the U.S. birthed between this year and 2029.
No Leaders Identified with Anti-Natalist Movement
Whether such acts prompting anti-natalists to respond remains unclear. The movement does not have an official organization or trade group. Its small group of adherents tends to post about their philosophy on Reddit and other chatroom platforms, although even the moderator of the Reddit subgroups on that particular topic has condemned the attack.
A Public Relations representative from Berry Fertility contacted Inside Reproductive Health saying the company was dealing with the anti-natalist movement but then later declined to comment.
A recently released report by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue concludes that nihilistic movements (anti-natalism is considered one given its stance against human life) are growing, and becoming more violent.
“The decentralized, constantly evolving nature of these subcultures complicates our understanding of the networks – and therefore, efforts to detect and prevent this type of violence,” the report observed. “The absence of ideological justifications can reduce the need for lengthy indoctrination and complex planning, reducing the timeline for violence and making it harder for…law enforcement to detect.”
Meanwhile, the clinic that was attacked says it is undeterred.“This moment has shaken us—but it has not stopped us. We will continue to serve with strength, love, and the hope that brings new life into the world,” ARC’s statement on the bombing concluded.
