Trump’s IVF Plan Challenges Pro-Life Principles

Last week, President Trump announced a plan to lower the cost of in vitro fertilization (IVF). For many couples who struggle to conceive naturally, IVF offers a path to starting a family. But while the desire for children is deeply good, the method used to achieve it raises serious moral questions that Christians—and the broader pro-life community—cannot ignore. 

The Ethics of Creating—and Discarding—Life 

On the surface, IVF seems straightforward. The procedure fuses sperm and egg in a lab to create embryos, which are then implanted into the womb. However, not all embryos are used. Some are frozen indefinitely, while others are destroyed. That’s where the ethical dilemma begins. 

Psalm 139:13 reminds us, “For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Verse 16 continues, “Your eyes saw me when I was formless.” Scripture is clear: human life is sacred from the moment of conception—not at birth, and not at a particular stage of development. If embryos are human lives, then destroying or discarding them cannot be morally neutral. 

This is why the Church must speak with clarity and compassion. The pain of infertility is real, and the longing to build a family is deeply human. But compassion cannot come at the cost of conviction. As followers of Christ, we must ensure that every life—no matter how small or unseen—is treated with dignity. 

Pro-Life Consistency in a Political Age 

The pro-life movement has celebrated many victories under President Trump, from judicial appointments to policy reforms protecting the unborn. But consistency demands courage. We cannot claim to defend life in the womb while ignoring the lives created and discarded in laboratories. Supporting IVF as it is currently practiced risks weakening the very foundation of what it means to be pro-life. 

Pro-life advocate Lila Rose put it plainly: “IVF kids face higher risks of lifelong health issues, & the process itself discards countless embryos—real human lives—deemed ‘unfit.’” That truth should challenge all of us—politicians, pastors, and families alike—to hold fast to what is right, even when it is uncomfortable. 

Toward a More Ethical Future 

IVF technology has given countless couples hope, but it must be refined and reformed to align with the value of life. There are practical ways to make the process more ethically sound: 

• Single-embryo creation: Produce only one embryo at a time to prevent excess and destruction. 

• Embryo adoption: Encourage couples to adopt frozen embryos rather than let them perish. 

• Legal safeguards: Enact laws that prohibit embryo destruction or limit indefinite freezing. 

• Natural fertility methods: Support less invasive alternatives that respect moral boundaries. 

Science has not yet perfected these methods—but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth pursuing. The moral challenge before us is to ensure that compassion for families never eclipses our conviction about life itself. 

Until real solutions emerge, the Church must remain rooted in God’s Word and unwavering in its defense of every human life. Our calling is not to condemn, but to guide—with grace and truth—toward choices that honor both God’s design and the sanctity of life. 

Pray that President Trump, and all leaders, seek wisdom to uphold policies that reflect the value of every human being—born and unborn alike.