Trump Expands Access to IVF for Americans

Mr Trump signed an executive order expanding access to in vitro fertilization and reducing its cost amid a sharp decline in the US birth rate.

Ông Trump mở rộng tiếp cận IVF - Ảnh 1. — Mr. Trump once declared that he would become the "father of IVF" - Photo: REUTERS

On February 18, local time, Mr. Trump signed an executive order directing the US Government to expand access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and reduce the cost of this popular infertility treatment.

Accordingly, within 90 days, President Donald Trump's advisers will draw up a list of policy recommendations to protect access to IVF and cut costs for this method.

“My administration recognizes the importance of family formation, and as a nation, our public policy must make it easier for mothers and fathers to love and long for children.

Americans need reliable access to IVF and more affordable treatment options," AFP news agency quoted the order as saying.

Speaking about the order, Mr. Trump said that "women and families, husbands, all appreciate it very much."

Most US states do not currently require insurance companies to cover IVF. Even if it is covered, IVF can still cost thousands of dollars in medical procedures and medications.

Citing data from the US Department of Health and Human Services, the White House said more than 85,000 babies were born in the US through IVF in 2021. The cost of this method can range from $12,000 to $25,000 per procedure and it can take multiple attempts to achieve pregnancy.

The US fertility rate fell 3% in 2023 compared to 2022, down 2% each year from 2014 to 2020. According to World Bank data, the US fertility rate was 1.67 births per woman in 2022, lower than the 2.1 needed to maintain the population without immigration.

The order will also ensure the government reviews current policies that make infertility treatments more expensive, according to the White House.

During his campaign, Mr. Trump declared that he would become the “father of IVF,” promising to require the government or insurance companies to pay for IVF fertility treatments if elected.

IVF is a hot issue in the 2024 US presidential election after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that embryos are considered children. The ruling has caused confusion about how embryos can be legally stored, transported and used.

It is also a divisive issue within Mr Trump’s Republican Party. Senate Republicans twice blocked Democratic legislation designed to protect access to IVF last year.