Donald Trump says he ‘strongly’ believes in IVF treatments after Alabama ruling
Donald Trump, the former US president, has come out in favour of IVF treatments, saying that he and the Republican party “will always support the creation of strong, thriving, healthy American families”.
In a post on Truth Social, his new social media platform, Trump wrote: “We want to make it easier for mothers and fathers to have babies, not harder! That includes supporting the availability of fertility treatments like IVF in every State in America.”
The Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling that declared frozen embryos as “children” has sparked a heated debate over the future of IVF treatments in the state and across the country.
What’s the Alabama ruling?
The ruling, which came out earlier this week, was a result of a lawsuit filed by a group of IVF patients whose embryos were destroyed when a patient tampered with a cryogenic storage unit and dropped them on the floor.
The ruling has led to the suspension of IVF services by at least three providers in Alabama, leaving many women who are struggling with infertility without the option of conceiving through the procedure. The ruling has also created a dilemma for Republicans, who have been trying to reconcile their anti-abortion stance with their support for family values.
The former president was joined by Kari Lake, the Republican candidate for Senate from Arizona, who also expressed her support for IVF treatments. Lake, who is running to replace the retiring Democrat Mark Kelly, said in a post on X, the former Twitter, that “one in six Americans struggle with fertility issues”.
“In the Senate, I will advocate for increased access to fertility treatment for women struggling to get pregnant. IVF is extremely important for helping countless families experience the joy of parenthood. I oppose restrictions,” She added.
Biden mocks Trump
Joe Biden, the current US president, mocked Trump’s response to the ruling, saying that it was irrelevant and insensitive. In a statement on Friday, Biden said: “American women couldn’t care less what Donald Trump posts on Truth Social, they care that they can’t access fertility treatment because of him.”