Live Action publicly released a memo Tuesday regarding in vitro fertilization (IVF), urging the Trump administration to focus on treating infertility as a chronic disease, finding true treatments for its underlying causes rather than using the band-aid approach of IVF.
The memo has been in the hands of the Trump administration for months, encouraging them to halt plans for increasing access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and to instead turn toward actually healing infertility as the goal.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- A Live Action memo, now public but in the hands of the Trump administration for months, encourages the administration to turn away from the promotion of IVF toward promoting treating the underlying causes of infertility.
- The memo points out that Restorative Reproductive Medicine has seen great success in bringing healing to those experiencing infertility by addressing things like hormone balance and nutritional support. It addresses ovulation-related disorders, nutritional deficiencies, immunological concerns, as well as male infertility factors.
- The public funding of IVF has the potential to significantly increase the taxpayer burden, while paying for a technology that leads to the destruction of human life.
THE DETAILS:
The Live Action memo states:
Infertility can be a deeply painful and life altering challenge, affecting 1 in 6 couples worldwide. We support and applaud the Trump administration’s commitment to helping American families increase their fertility and flourish. More babies is a beautiful and necessary goal.
While often promoted as the go-to solution, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is, in reality, an ethical, financial, and practical disaster. The procedure as it is practiced results in the destruction of millions of human lives, is exceedingly expensive, and has a low success rate, leaving many families still struggling after multiple attempts.
Furthermore, IVF disregards a far more compassionate, effective, and natural alternative: Restorative Reproductive Medicine (RRM). This approach addresses the root causes of infertility, works with the body’s natural processes of both parents, and supports healing rather than bypassing it.
The memo notes the key ethical concerns surrounding IVF — most importantly that it leads to the destruction of human life. More than 85% of embryos created via IVF are frozen indefinitely, discarded, subject to experimentation, or die during the process.
It also notes that IVF carries a high financial cost, averaging $20,000 per cycle. Should the Trump administration shift this expense to taxpayers through government-subsidized fertility treatments, a significant financial burden would be placed upon taxpayers, diverting resources away from more ethical and cost-effective alternatives to IVF.
The memo notes that newer technology in reproduction and biotechnology “must adhere to core principles that uphold human dignity and promote human flourishing. Central to this is the inherent right to life for every human being.” It points out that the ultimate purpose and goal of any technology should be therapeutic and aimed at healing the human body, with the rights and value of every human being acknowledged and respected.
Live Action urged the Trump administration not to fund IVF but to instead to fund “effective and ethical” fertility treatments such as RRM — holistic methods that “promote healing, dignity, and the natural restoration of fertility.”
Infertility is a deeply painful challenge facing 1 in 6 couples.
We applaud the Trump admin’s commitment to helping American families increase their fertility and flourish.
IVF is often promoted as the go-to solution—but in reality, IVF destroys life at a rate higher than…
— Live Action (@LiveAction) June 3, 2025
THE BACKSTORY:
During his 2024 campaign, President Trump promised to make IVF ‘free’ for prospective parents, by either forcing taxpayers or private insurance to pay for it.
In February, he issued an executive order to address increasing rates of infertility along with the heavy price tag associated with IVF and other artificial reproductive technologies.
Another executive order on IVF is expected in the coming weeks, potentially in the form of a mandate that forces insurance companies to pay for IVF, according to the Washington Examiner.
ZOOM IN:
Restorative Reproductive Medicine has a success rate equivalent to IVF, and the pregnancies tend to be healthier with fewer complications (like preterm birth). In addition, no embryos are intentionally created to then be destroyed or frozen.
RRM identifies the underlying issues causing infertility and works to restore and optimize normal reproductive function through natural methods such as hormone balance, nutritional support, and a pro-fertility diet.
It also includes immunologic and antibacterial interventions, medications, and supplements, and it carries a significantly lower financial burden, with one study finding that babies born through IVF cost four times more per birth than babies conceived through RRM. In addition, many RRM treatments are already covered by insurance.
A study of RRM patients found that 87% had ovulation-related disorders that were diagnosed and treated; 47% had nutritional deficiencies addressed, and 24% had male infertility factors that were improved with treatment.
“The Trump administration has an opportunity to lead with courage and compassion by rejecting public funding for IVF—and instead championing ethical alternatives like Restorative Reproductive Medicine,” said Live Action founder and president Lila Rose. “IVF is not creating the building blocks of life, as many believe; it is creating and discarding human life itself. This practice destroys millions of human beings, burdens families with sky-high costs, and ultimately fails to deliver lasting solutions for infertility.”
Rose added:
Every human life begins at fertilization and must be protected. We must reject public funding for a practice that kills children in the name of family building and instead embrace alternatives like Restorative Reproductive Medicine that heal bodies, honor life, and help families flourish.
This is a chance to make America healthier and more family-friendly by standing for life and rejecting the false promise of IVF.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
Live Action is calling on the Trump administration to reject public funding for IVF and promote ethical alternatives that will increase fertility and allow American families to flourish.
