(The Center Square) – Illinois U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth is accusing her Republican colleagues of blocking access to in vitro fertilization, or IVF.
President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order aiming to reduce the costs of IVF, a move criticized by some pro-life groups. Duckworth, D-Schaumburg, called the executive order “toothless and overly vague” while discussing her efforts to expand IVF coverage.
“This amendment would protect the right to IVF and other fertility care and it would require insurers to cover IVF. I know my Republican colleagues will claim that President Trump has already solved this problem, but don’t be fooled,” said Duckworth. “It was just lip service from a known liar. In fact, it’s because of President Trump and Senate Republicans that Roe v. Wade was overturned, causing IVF to be at risk in the first place.”
An IVF opponent, Illinois Family Institute Executive Director David Smith said Trump’s order doesn’t go as far as Duckworth’s proposed Right to IVF Act.
“A lot of left-wing lawmakers like to contrive or make new so-called rights up on the spot. And this would create an IVF or assisted reproductive technology a right for people. And what that means is it’s going to force health insurance companies, doctors and medical centers, to provide this treatment, these infertility treatments, whether or not they want to or not,” said Smith. “Of course, that would increase our health care insurance premiums for all of us, even those who might be past reproductive age or those who don’t have any interest in reproduction.”
According to the White House, the general U.S. fertility rate is at a historic low. The rate dropped 3% in 2023 from 2022. From 2014-2020, the rate consistently decreased by 2% annually.
Smith suggested that instead of expanding IVF, lawmakers implement changes to current sex education practices.
“It’s my understanding that a lot of infertility problems come as a result of using birth control pills for a long time, also promiscuous sexual activity, which creates all kinds of STI, sexually transmitted diseases, and scarring within the uterus and the fallopian tubes, which make it very difficult for future pregnancies,” said Smith. “And we’re not told that in our sex education classes mandated by our government.”
Smith said Trump signing the order was him keeping a campaign promise.
“But the campaign promise was made to try to placate some of these guys in the mushy middle and to the left. It doesn’t dissuade them from attacking him,” said Smith. “I mean, you see her [Duckworth] saying, ‘it’s toothless, it doesn’t mean a thing.’ He can’t win with them.”
Duckworth said if Senate Republicans want to put their votes where their mouths are, they must vote for her amendment that she said would “provide hope for millions of Americans whose most desperate hope in the world is to have a family of their own.”
Smith said the Supreme Court of Alabama made history by stating that human embryos created during the in vitro fertilization process were human beings worthy of civil rights protection.
