Former President Donald Trump, who is currently running for president again, revealed a significant policy initiative regarding in vitro fertilization (IVF) during a rally in Michigan. He stated that, if re-elected, his administration would ensure that IVF treatments would be free for all women.
Trump declared, “Under the Trump administration, your government will pay for — or your insurance company will be mandated to pay for — all costs associated with IVF treatment, fertilization for women.” He emphasized the aim of increasing the birth rate and mentioned that new parents would also be allowed to deduct significant expenses related to newborns from their taxes.
IVF is a method used to help women facing fertility challenges by combining an egg with sperm in a lab setting. However, it often requires several attempts, and each cycle can be very expensive, sometimes exceeding $30,000, with no guarantee of achieving pregnancy.
This policy announcement aligns with Trump’s efforts to present a more moderate stance on women’s reproductive rights, especially following the backlash from the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, a ruling influenced by three justices appointed by Trump. Additionally, he expressed opposition to Florida’s six-week abortion ban, which has frustrated some anti-abortion advocates.
Trump’s running mate, Senator JD Vance, clarified that Trump supports allowing individual states to determine their own abortion policies, a stance he intends to maintain throughout the campaign and his potential presidency.
In a recent shift, the Republican Party removed a federal abortion ban from its platform for the first time in four decades, now endorsing Trump’s position of state-level decision-making on abortion laws. It remains uncertain how much this decision is influenced by Trump’s views or the recent successful ballot measures supporting abortion rights in traditionally conservative states, as well as how he plans to finance IVF treatments.
In response, the campaign for Trump’s opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, expressed skepticism about Trump’s pledges. A spokesperson for Harris, Sarafina Chitika, stated, “Trump lies as much if not more than he breathes, but voters aren’t stupid. Because Trump overturned Roe v. Wade, IVF is already under attack and women’s freedoms have been ripped away in states across the country.” The Harris campaign also announced it will conduct a reproductive rights bus tour with 50 stops in key battleground states in the upcoming weeks.