IVF is a procedure that includes gathering eggs from the ovaries, fertilizing them with sperm in a laboratory, and then placing the embryos into the uterus.
Sebastian Kaulitzki/Getty Images
hide caption
toggle caption
Sebastian Kaulitzki/Getty Images
President Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday aimed at increasing access to and lowering the costs of infertility treatments, specifically in vitro fertilization (IVF).
The order instructs Trump’s domestic policy advisor to create a list of strategies for “safeguarding IVF access and significantly lowering out-of-pocket and insurance costs for IVF procedures” within a 90-day time frame.
IVF garnered attention as a campaign topic last year after the Alabama Supreme Court declared that frozen embryos resulting from the process are “extrauterine children.” This caused a suspension of IVF services in the state until lawmakers passed a law clarifying that IVF clinics would not face legal repercussions if an embryo did not lead to a live birth.
IVF is a procedure that involves gathering eggs from ovaries, fertilizing them with sperm in a laboratory, and then transferring the embryos into the uterus. The procedure can be costly, with individual cycles ranging from $12,000 to $25,000. Many couples require multiple cycles before achieving a successful pregnancy. The availability of insurance coverage for IVF varies significantly between states.
Following the Alabama court ruling, Trump discussed IVF during his campaign, pledging that IVF would be free for families, either covered by insurance companies or the government.
