self-empowerment

I was definitely taken aback when I started reading Laura Mamo's article. Do it yourself artificial insemination? I had not idea that used to be such a simple process. It also then amazed me then when she went on to explain how the process had changed and continued to over the years. Esther, in the beginning was self-empowered, able to attempt to conceive on her own. Just a little later, she is a patient with a 'condition' of infertility. She was no longer able to conceive on her terms, and she loses a part of her power. Is it good that she had to go to the clinics to get the sperm that was once so easily accessed? Although I am no doctor and cannot speak medically about the potential reasonings as to why this changed (which I am inclined to think there really aren't a whole lot), it makes me think of just another way that men are trying to control women's bodies. I feel like when we take away rights like these, we are taking away women's control of their own bodies, their own lives. I think of the many people in WEstern societies who criticize other more conservative, religious countries for their lack of rights for women and I think- are we a whole lot better in some ways? Obviously, yes women do have a lot more opportunity and rights here. But still ultimately there are so many ways, like this issue of artificial insemination, abortion, contraception, that take away self-empowerment of women and make them seem like second-class citizens, incapable of making their own decisions about their own bodies.