Trump signs executive order expanding access to IVF - but what does it mean for you?

On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to expand access to and reduce the cost of in vitro fertilization.

U.S. President 'Donald Trump.'

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The decree, which instructs government agencies to provide policy recommendations that safeguard IVF access while reducing costs for both individuals and insurance, did not specify how the expenditures would be reimbursed.

It would also address current rules, including some needing legislation, that increase the cost of treatment, according to a White House information sheet.

"President Trump promised to advance IVF and help American families with the associated costs so American families can have more babies, building on his record of supporting family formation and stability," the White House said.

During his election campaign, Trump said that if won, he would mandate the government or insurance companies to cover IVF reproductive procedures.

Not all states now compel insurance companies to cover IVF, which includes mixing eggs and sperm in a laboratory dish to generate an embryo for couples who are having trouble conceiving. Even with insurance, IVF may cost thousands of dollars for medications and medical procedures.

IVF became a hot-button topic in the 2024 presidential race after the conservative Alabama Supreme Court declared last year that embryos are considered children.

That ruling made it unclear how to legally store, transfer, and use embryos, causing some IVF patients to contemplate relocating their frozen embryos out of state.

Senate Republicans vetoed Democratic-led legislation to preserve IVF access twice last year, with some Republicans claiming the measure is unnecessary since IVF access is not threatened. RA