(ZENIT News / Washington, 02.23.2025).- In a move that fulfills a key campaign promise, Donald Trump signed an executive order on February 18 aimed at expanding access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) across the United States. The order seeks to reduce financial and regulatory barriers to the procedure, which Trump has previously pledged to make free under federal policy.
Announcing the initiative, the White House cited statistics indicating that one in seven couples face infertility issues and that many struggle to afford IVF, which can cost between $12,000 and $25,000 per cycle. Trump’s directive emphasizes the need for affordable fertility treatments, stating that eliminating unnecessary burdens will allow more families to pursue parenthood with «hope and confidence.»
The executive order comes amid growing debate over the ethics of IVF, particularly concerning the fate of unused embryos. Official data from 2021 show that at least 85,000 children were born via IVF that year, while an estimated one million embryos remain frozen in U.S. laboratories.
Critics argue that the process of IVF involves discarding embryos that do not meet certain genetic or physical criteria, such as sex, health conditions, or even eye and hair color. Some opponents liken the destruction of embryos to abortion, pointing out that the survival rate for embryos created through IVF is only around 7%, with the majority either frozen indefinitely or discarded.
Lila Rose, president of the pro-life organization Live Action, criticized Trump’s order on social media, stating, «The IVF industry is not pro-life. Only 7% of embryos created through IVF result in a live birth. The rest are frozen, destroyed, or lost. This order expands an industry built on the destruction of human life.»
Trump’s order also directly contradicts recent statements from the U.S. Catholic bishops, who have voiced strong opposition to IVF on ethical and theological grounds. Just days before the order was signed, the bishops released a document titled «A Catholic Introduction to In Vitro Fertilization», warning that IVF involves the artificial creation, freezing, and selection of human beings, often leading to the destruction of embryos.
Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington had previously sent a letter to Trump, reminding him that for every child born through IVF, «tens of millions of their brothers and sisters have been deliberately destroyed.» He denounced the practice as «morally unjust,» emphasizing that human life should not be treated as a commodity.
The bishops’ opposition is rooted in the belief that human dignity must be upheld from conception and that the freezing of embryos is akin to an unjust imprisonment. Their statement also criticized sperm collection methods and the use of donor gametes, arguing that such practices violate the sanctity of marriage and family.
Despite religious objections, public support for IVF remains high. A recent Gallup poll found that 82% of Americans consider IVF to be morally acceptable, with 49% even supporting the destruction of embryos created through the process. A Pew Research survey further revealed that 65% of U.S. Catholics view access to IVF as a positive development.
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