President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday expanding access to in vitro fertilization (IVF), the act of creating human embryos in a lab and attempting to implant them in either a biological mother or surrogate. The executive order seeks to lower the costs of and reduce barriers to IVF.

“Americans need reliable access to IVF and more affordable treatment options, as the cost per cycle can range from $12,000 to $25,000. Providing support, awareness, and access to affordable fertility treatments can help these families navigate their path to parenthood with hope and confidence,” states the order.

“Therefore, to support American families, it is the policy of my Administration to ensure reliable access to IVF treatment, including by easing unnecessary statutory or regulatory burdens to make IVF treatment drastically more affordable.”

Under the order, the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy must submit a list of policy recommendations to Trump within 90 days from the date of the order. Those policies would protect IVF access, “aggressively reducing out-of-pocket and health plan costs for IVF treatment.”

While many pro-life individuals support IVF as a way to create life, more lives are lost to the process than are born alive.

There are an estimated one million children frozen in the embryonic state in the United States, either waiting to be defrosted and given their chance at life, or “leftover” from their parents’ IVF attempt. They face destruction, a perpetual state of cryopreservation, or donation to another couple or scientific research.

All embryos created in the lab are graded on their “quality,” and are discarded if they don’t measure up. Embryos are often destroyed or left behind for being the wrong sex, having a genetic health condition, or not meeting whatever standards have been set for them — including eye color and hair color. IVF destroys embryos at a higher rate than induced abortion.

In addition to commodifying human lives, IVF poses significant health risks to both the mother and the child.

Other pro-life groups reacted to the news, as well.

The Radiance Foundation, a pro-life group which also focuses on the importance of fatherhood and adoption, stated, “… Not every form of ‘family formation’ is moral. What’s the ethical difference between deliberately killing human life at an IVF clinic versus at an abortion mill? Being on the side of the miracle of life should mean never deliberately allowing that miracle to be destroyed whether through IVF or abortion. Taxpayers should NEVER be forced to pay for the intentional destruction of unborn human life.”

Pro-life legal group Liberty Counsel founder and chairman Mat Staver stated, “Children created through IVF are human beings made in the image of God, just as any child conceived naturally. As far as the future of IVF is concerned, it must be approached in a way that affirms the sanctity of each embryo’s life, places the protection of children before the desires of adults, and treats embryos as children instead of objects for sale.”

Katy Faust, founder of child-first advocacy group Them Before Us, stated, “‘Fertility care’ is a euphemism for designer, disposable, and donated (to research) lab-made babies. #BigFertility likely destroys 4x more embryonic life annually than Planned Parenthood. This is an anti-child executive order.”

In a video for Live Action, Dr. Lauren Rubal, a board-certified OB/GYN and integrative medicine physician with a subspecialty in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, explained that women who conceive through IVF have twice the risk of life-threatening complications during their pregnancies, including a 26% increase in the risk of preterm birth, which can lead to long-term complications with the child.

Can You Be Pro-Life And Support IVF?

Children conceived through IVF have a 40% increased risk of birth defects and double the chance of stillbirth. Other known risks for children born via IVF include a higher risk of childhood leukemia, low birth weight, higher blood pressure, hormonal imbalances, advanced bone age, cardiovascular issues, cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, and infertility.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated since its original publication.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday expanding access to in vitro fertilization (IVF), the act of creating human embryos in a lab and attempting to implant them in either a biological mother or surrogate. The executive order seeks to lower the costs of and reduce barriers to IVF.

“Americans need reliable access to IVF and more affordable treatment options, as the cost per cycle can range from $12,000 to $25,000. Providing support, awareness, and access to affordable fertility treatments can help these families navigate their path to parenthood with hope and confidence,” states the order.

“Therefore, to support American families, it is the policy of my Administration to ensure reliable access to IVF treatment, including by easing unnecessary statutory or regulatory burdens to make IVF treatment drastically more affordable.”

Under the order, the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy must submit a list of policy recommendations to Trump within 90 days from the date of the order. Those policies would protect IVF access, “aggressively reducing out-of-pocket and health plan costs for IVF treatment.”

While many pro-life individuals support IVF as a way to create life, more lives are lost to the process than are born alive.

There are an estimated one million children frozen in the embryonic state in the United States, either waiting to be defrosted and given their chance at life, or “leftover” from their parents’ IVF attempt. They face destruction, a perpetual state of cryopreservation, or donation to another couple or scientific research.

All embryos created in the lab are graded on their “quality,” and are discarded if they don’t measure up. Embryos are often destroyed or left behind for being the wrong sex, having a genetic health condition, or not meeting whatever standards have been set for them — including eye color and hair color. IVF destroys embryos at a higher rate than induced abortion.

In addition to commodifying human lives, IVF poses significant health risks to both the mother and the child.

Other pro-life groups reacted to the news, as well.

The Radiance Foundation, a pro-life group which also focuses on the importance of fatherhood and adoption, stated, “… Not every form of ‘family formation’ is moral. What’s the ethical difference between deliberately killing human life at an IVF clinic versus at an abortion mill? Being on the side of the miracle of life should mean never deliberately allowing that miracle to be destroyed whether through IVF or abortion. Taxpayers should NEVER be forced to pay for the intentional destruction of unborn human life.”

Pro-life legal group Liberty Counsel founder and chairman Mat Staver stated, “Children created through IVF are human beings made in the image of God, just as any child conceived naturally. As far as the future of IVF is concerned, it must be approached in a way that affirms the sanctity of each embryo’s life, places the protection of children before the desires of adults, and treats embryos as children instead of objects for sale.”

Katy Faust, founder of child-first advocacy group Them Before Us, stated, “‘Fertility care’ is a euphemism for designer, disposable, and donated (to research) lab-made babies. #BigFertility likely destroys 4x more embryonic life annually than Planned Parenthood. This is an anti-child executive order.”

In a video for Live Action, Dr. Lauren Rubal, a board-certified OB/GYN and integrative medicine physician with a subspecialty in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, explained that women who conceive through IVF have twice the risk of life-threatening complications during their pregnancies, including a 26% increase in the risk of preterm birth, which can lead to long-term complications with the child.

Can You Be Pro-Life And Support IVF?

Children conceived through IVF have a 40% increased risk of birth defects and double the chance of stillbirth. Other known risks for children born via IVF include a higher risk of childhood leukemia, low birth weight, higher blood pressure, hormonal imbalances, advanced bone age, cardiovascular issues, cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, and infertility.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated since its original publication.