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WASHINGTON, D.C. (LifeSiteNews) — President Donald Trump’s recent executive order aimed at expanding in-vitro fertilization (IVF) is “tragic” and “not pro-life,” Catholic and pro-life leaders said.
The brief executive order directs the president’s staff to create “a list of policy recommendations on protecting IVF access and aggressively reducing out-of-pocket and health plan costs for IVF” procedures.
“Fertilization, I’ve been saying, that we’re going to do what we have to do, and I think the women, and families, husbands, are very appreciative of it,” Trump said during a press conference yesterday.
It follows up on a campaign promise that Trump made to either require insurance companies to pay for embryo-destroying IVF or have the federal government cover it. That promise followed an uproar after the Alabama Supreme Court affirmed last year that human embryos have rights, ruling in favor of a couple whose embryos were accidentally destroyed at a “fertility clinic.”
While Trump said in his executive order that the policy is about “the importance of family formation” and making it “easier for loving and longing mothers and fathers to have children,” many pro-life activists and Catholic commentators pointed out that IVF is deadly and antithetical to the sanctity of human life.
“IVF is NOT pro-life,” Lila Rose, president of Live Action, wrote on X. She pointed out that only seven percent of embryos conceived through IVF are ultimately born.
A LifeSiteNews analysis previously concluded that Trump’s IVF plan could lead to the destruction of 2.4 million embryonic human children – twice the number killed through abortion every year in the United States. The procedure typically works by fertilizing 15 or so eggs. Embryos deemed not worthy of being implanted because of perceived defects are then intentionally killed by being discarded.
Students for Life of America President Kristan Hawkins called the executive order “tragic.”
“IVF kills children in the embryonic stage, and 93% of the children conceived in IVF will be killed or frozen, never born,” Hawkins wrote. “For families like mine, IVF is frequently used as an eugenic tool,” she said. Hawkins has two children with cystic fibrosis.
Hawkins, who is also Catholic, offered to explain to Trump “about this and introduce you to real methods to help couples have children that do not exploit women &children, actually work to reduce infertility in couples (like NaPro Technology), and are 100% ethical.”
BREAKING: Trump signs E.O. to expand IVF. This is tragic.
IVF kills children in the embryonic stage, and 93% of the children conceived in IVF will be killed or frozen, never born. For families like mine, IVF is frequently used as an eugenic tool. @realDonaldTrump, I would…
— Kristan Hawkins (@KristanHawkins) February 18, 2025
“President Trump definitely needs to be informed of the dark truth about IVF, every child who survives represents many who died. IVF [is] anti-life, it is yet another attempt to play [G]od,” Bishop Joseph Strickland warned.
Catholic commentator Liz Wheeler called the IVF “dreadful,” reacting to the executive order.
The announcement drew further criticism from Catholics who criticized President Trump’s press secretary for her comments.
“PROMISES MADE PROMISES KEPT,” Karoline Leavitt, who is a professed Catholic, wrote on X. While she might be expected to boost what the president says, given she is a top communicator for him, other Catholics pointed out the moral gravity of the situation and urged her to use her position to influence the president.
“Karoline, you are Catholic. IVF is a grave violation of human dignity, as the Church has consistently taught,” former White House speech writer and Catholic convert Joshua Charles wrote. “This is a tragedy. Please do not sacrifice truth, but be a bold witness to it before the powerful figures in whose presence God has placed you.”
Karoline, you are Catholic. IVF is a grave violation of human dignity, as the Church has consistently taught.
This is a tragedy. Please do not sacrifice truth, but be a bold witness to it before the powerful figures in whose presence God has placed you.
— Joshua Charles (@JoshuaTCharles) February 18, 2025
“This is horrific and cannot be defended by any Catholic, or any pro-lifer. IVF causes the death of countless unborn children,” Crisis magazine Editor-in-Chief Eric Sammons wrote in response to Leavitt.
The Catholic Church formally condemns IVF and other fertilization methods that separate sexuality from reproduction.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church declares IVF and similar techniques “morally unacceptable,” adding, “They dissociate the sexual act from the procreative act.”
Despite the destructive nature of IVF, some otherwise pro-life conservatives have pushed for greater access to the embryo-destroying procedure.
For example, Sen. Ted Cruz pushed for legislation to essentially create a federal “right” to the procedure by punishing states that ban it.
Pray for an end to IVF and the protection of human embryos: Join our prayer pledge