Demystifying Trump's latest steps on IVF—what’s at stake, and what’s coming next
Key Takeaways
Industry Buzz
“The recent executive order on IVF did not include details regarding the implementation of expanded access, nor the funding mechanisms.” — Christy Lane, PhD, co-founder of Flora Fertility
Last month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to expand access to IVF nationwide.[][] This order follows a pledge made during his presidential campaign to make IVF more accessible and affordable for US citizens facing fertility difficulties. IVF treatments are not currently covered by most insurance providers, and the order does not specify any future payment policy plans.
“The recent executive order on IVF did not include details regarding the implementation of expanded access, nor the funding mechanisms,” said Christy Lane, PhD, co-founder of Flora Fertility.
Costs continue to be prohibitive
The price for a single IVF cycle can range between $12,000 and $17,000, not including medications. Costs can soar to $25,000 once medications are included.[1] Multiple treatment cycles are often needed before conception takes place. Currently, costs and coverage can vary depending on state. In Massachusetts and Illinois, insurance coverage for IVF is mandatory.[]
The executive order, signed February 18, 2025, sets a 90-day deadline. In this timeframe, the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy is required to create a list of policy recommendations on “protecting IVF access and aggressively reducing out-of-pocket health plan costs for IVF treatment.”[]
There is no timetable beyond this 90-day deadline. It is unknown what changes to insurance coverage for IVF might occur or when they could be implemented.
Criticisms and controversies
Criticism of this executive order has come from multiple angles.[2] For instance, previous legal rulings, such as a 2024 case in Alabama, have set precedents that could restrict access to IVF, and anti-abortion groups and some Republican leaders view IVF as a violation of an embryo's “personhood.” In 2024, congressional Republicans blocked a Democrat-led bill that would have generated nationwide IVF coverage.[]
The Alabama Ruling
In 2024, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are children. It further ruled that destroying these embryos, as is common practice after a successful IVF-life birth, is murder under Alabama state law. Governor Kay Ivery later signed a bill offering legal protections for IVF providers and patients.[]
The February executive order does not address the legal status of frozen embryos.
Conversely, some Democratic politicians have called the executive order a “political messaging vote” (aka, a PR stunt).[] Others have questioned how this order will affect care for the LGBTQ+ community. Currently, LGBTQ+ individuals can face barriers to accessing fertility that go beyond cost. These discriminatory barriers can vary by state and include restrictions on IVF access. It is unclear if any expanded access to IVF would apply to the LGBTQ+ community, given that other executive orders from the Trump Administration have lessened legal protections for individuals who identify as such.
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