Former President Donald Trump on Friday claimed that the Republican Party is at the forefront of supporting in vitro fertilization (IVF) programs, while Democrats caution that a Trump victory in November could jeopardize reproductive rights, including access to IVF.
"The Republican Party is making significant progress on many fronts, and I am very proud that we are a LEADER on I.V.F.," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump has previously voiced his support for IVF treatments. Earlier this year, he urged the Alabama state legislature to safeguard access to IVF after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are considered children, meaning those who destroy them could be liable for wrongful death. Subsequently, the GOP-dominated state legislature passed a law to protect IVF patients and providers from legal liability, which was signed by the state's Republican governor.
However, Republicans who supported IVF following the Alabama Supreme Court's controversial decision faced criticism for also backing legislation that defines human life as beginning at conception, without making exceptions for IVF.
Earlier in the day, Trump stated that if he is reelected, his administration would be "great for women and their reproductive rights," despite frequently highlighting his role in overturning the constitutional right to abortion that had been upheld for nearly 50 years.
Trump often credits himself for appointing conservative Supreme Court justices who played a key role in overturning Roe v. Wade, which rolled back abortion rights and protections across the country.
In contrast, Vice President Kamala Harris, speaking at the Democratic convention Thursday night, emphasized the importance of protecting access to reproductive health care and criticized Trump and his Republican allies for their stance on abortion. Harris specifically mentioned the IVF treatments that were temporarily halted in Alabama following the state Supreme Court's ruling before the legislation was passed to protect access to the treatment.
