U.S. President Donald Trump made a significant decision regarding In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatment and its accessibility in his latest executive order.
According to Associated Press, on Tuesday, February 18, Trump signed an executive order to expand access and reduce the cost of IVF while directing the Domestic Policy Council to propose policies within 90 days.
During his election campaign, the 47th U.S. president vowed to make IVF treatment free, especially after Democrats claimed that opposition to abortion could also affect access to the procedure.
At his Mar-a-Lago residence and club in Florida, Trump answered questions for over 30 minutes on various topics, including the Russia-Ukraine war.
Furthermore, Trump stated that he believes “women and families, especially husbands, are very appreciative” of his executive order on IVF, as it provides a possible solution for women struggling with natural pregnancy.
The procedure involves retrieving eggs from the ovaries, fertilizing them with sperm in a lab, and then transferring embryos into the uterus. IVF is performed in cycles, and multiple cycles may be required.
Barbara Collura, President and CEO of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, called the decision “extremely promising.”
She added, “The biggest barriers for people in building their families are the high out-of-pocket costs and lack of insurance coverage for this treatment.”
IVF became a hot topic during the election campaign after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos created through the procedure are considered “children.”
This ruling led to a temporary pause in IVF treatments in Alabama until the law clarified that IVF clinics could not be held legally responsible if an embryo did not result in a live birth.
