Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at expanding access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and lowering its cost has sparked criticism from anti-abortion groups.Why It MattersOn the campaign trail, Trump said he wanted to make IVF treatment free for women after coming under fire from Democrats for appointing Supreme Court justices who helped overturn Roe v. Wade. The court decision had led to restrictions in Republican-led states, including proposals that have threatened access to IVF by trying to define life as beginning at conception.Americans overwhelmingly support access to IVF, but the issue caused divisions among Republicans in the run-up to the 2024 election as some in the anti-abortion movement oppose the discarding of unused embryos created through the process.
President Donald Trump delivers remarks after signing an executive order on expanding access to IVF at his Mar-a-Lago resort on February 18, 2025 in Palm Beach, Florida.
President Donald Trump delivers remarks after signing an executive order on expanding access to IVF at his Mar-a-Lago resort on February 18, 2025 in Palm Beach, Florida.
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What to KnowKristan Hawkins, the president of Students for Life Action and Students for Life of America, said in a statement to Newsweek that concern for those struggling to start a family “can’t be the reason we turn a blind eye to an industry with a lot of issues.”Trump’s order does not change any policy, but asks for a list of policy recommendations on protecting access to IVF and “aggressively reducing out-of-pocket and health plan costs for such treatments.”IVF treatment can cost tens of thousands of dollars for a single round. Many women require multiple rounds but even then, there is no guarantee it will be successful.The treatments can range from $12,000 to $25,000 per cycle and the procedure is often not fully covered by health insurance, according to the White House.Trump said during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday that he thinks “women and families, husbands, are very appreciative” of the executive order on IVF.”The GOP needs to slow down and take a look at what business as usual means when turning children and women’s bodies as surrogates into commodities,” Hawkins added.Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, another anti-abortion group, said it doesn’t oppose “ethical fertility treatments paired with strong medical safety standards” but believes that “human embryos should not be destroyed.”Some abortion-rights groups and Democratic lawmakers have criticized the order, saying Trump and Republicans are the reason that access to IVF and other reproductive health care is at risk.What People Are Saying Hawkins said in a statement to Newsweek: “This is an issue in need of a lot of conversation. When people say they support IVF, we have to ask what does that mean? Support for the deregulated environment in which sloppy protocols lead to numerous mistakes? A willingness to violate the consciences of people with ethical concerns? No regard for the vast majority of human beings who are in the embryonic stage of life who will be discarded as trash, frozen, or experimented on and never be born?”She added: “A caring concern for people who want a family can’t be the reason we turn a blind eye to an industry with a lot of issues. The GOP needs to slow down and take a look at what business as usual means when turning children and women’s bodies as surrogates into commodities.”Americans United for Life said in a statement to Newsweek: “We recognize and affirm the deep desire of families to welcome children into the world. Anyone who has faced infertility knows the sorrow it brings. The gift of life is precious. That said, the creation of human life carries profound moral and ethical considerations that demand sound, responsible policies—ones that uphold the sanctity of every human life from conception to natural death.”It added that while the organization does not take a position on IVF, it does “oppose embryo destruction as a life-ending activity, whether pre- or post-implantation.”Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America said in a statement to Newsweek: “SBA Pro-Life America does not object to ethical fertility treatments paired with strong medical safety standards that help couples struggling with infertility. We also believe human embryos should not be destroyed.”It added that “rogue practitioners who switch human embryos, fail to follow basic safety standards, or negligently destroy human embryos desired by infertile couples must be held to account under any federal role in fertility treatment. At a minimum, affordability recommendations provided under this executive order should take into account health and safety protections for parents and embryos.”Mini Timmaraju, the president and CEO of Reproductive Freedom for All, said in a statement: “Don’t be fooled by Trump and Republicans pretending to care about protecting IVF. Not only have congressional Republicans supported anti-IVF and anti-birth control policies but they also enabled Trump to appoint Supreme Court justices that overturned Roe v. Wade. Access to fertility treatments like IVF is critical for people trying to start or grow their families—and it’s Democrats who have supported pro-IVF and pro-contraception policies. Those are the facts, and Republicans can’t escape them.”What’s NextTrump’s order directs the assistant to the president for domestic policy to provide the list of policy recommendations within 90 days.
