New York – Kamala Harris’ campaign has cast doubt on her presidential rival Donald Trump’s commitment to in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment, after the Republican indicated in an interview that he has always been in favor of the procedure.
The Democratic candidate’s team said in a statement on Thursday that “the facts do not lie” and that the Republican Party’s own platform approved at the national convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, could prohibit IVF by establishing so-called “fetal personality.”
“Donald Trump’s own platform could ban IVF and abortion nationwide. Trump lies as much as he tells, or even more, but voters are not stupid. Since Trump overturned the ruling of Roe v. WadeIVF is already under attack and women’s freedoms have been taken away in states across the country. There is only one candidate in this race who trusts women and will protect our freedom to make our own health care decisions: Vice President Kamala Harris,” said Sarafina Chitika, spokesperson for the Harris-Walz 2024 campaign.
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is an assisted reproduction treatment that involves extracting eggs from the patient’s ovaries, fertilizing them with sperm in a laboratory, and then transferring one or more embryos to the patient’s uterus.
According to Democrats, there are other signs that Trump does not favor IVF, such as his appointment of Sarah Pitlyk to a federal judgeship for life in 2019 and his inclusion of her name on the list of potential Supreme Court nominees. They also mentioned Trump’s staff meeting with Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Parker, whose ruling banned IVF in the state earlier this year.
They also said that Trump has “deep” ties to the anti-IVF movement.
What is fetal personality?
Fetal personhood is a legal concept that extends legal protections to fetuses and recognizes their rights.
This idea identifies eggs, embryos and fetuses as “legal persons” and separate from the surrogate mothers.
In short, it is the belief that a fetus should be recognized as a legal and moral person with rights; this includes the right to life from the moment of conception.
The Republican Party platform approved at the national convention held in Wisconsin last July supports states establishing fetal personhood through the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which, among other things, stipulates that no state may create or implement laws limiting the privileges or immunities of citizens.
If that concept were enacted into law, critics say it could have the effect of banning abortion at all stages of pregnancy.
The document ratified in Milwaukee states that states will be in charge of protecting or restricting reproductive rights, including abortion.
“We proudly stand up for families and life. We believe that the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees that no person may be denied Life or Liberty without due process, and that states are therefore free to pass laws to protect those rights,” the text reads.
Additionally, through the 16-page document, Republicans oppose late-term abortions or terminations of pregnancy in the second and third trimester, while supporting mothers and policies that advance prenatal care, access to birth control and IVF.
Although the government plan does not support national anti-abortion legislation or congressional action to set a time limit for abortion, extending the protection of the Fourteenth Amendment to the federal Constitution to fetuses supposedly paves the way for anti-abortion and fetal personhood advocates.
Fetal personhood is seen as being at odds with in vitro fertilization. The platform, critics say, does not specify how Republicans will defend IVF while supporting policies associated with fetal personhood.
The issue of reproductive rights, and abortion in particular, has been central to the campaigns of both candidates, although the contenders could not be more distant on the issue.
What did Trump say on NBC?
In an interview with NBC on Thursday, the former president said that if elected, his administration would protect access to in vitro fertilization, and that either the government or insurance companies would cover the cost of the service.
“We are going to, under the Trump administration, pay for that treatment,” the Republican said. He added: “We are going to be ordering the insurance company to pay.”
When asked to clarify whether the government or insurers would cover the cost, Trump insisted that one option is for companies to pay through a mandate.
The tycoon argued that he supports this measure because Republicans want there to be “more babies.”
“For the same reason, we will also allow new parents to deduct the large expenses of the newborn from their taxes. (…) We are pro-family. No one has said this before, but artificial insemination treatments are expensive. For many people it is very difficult to do it and to obtain it, but I have been in favor of in vitro fertilization (IVF) from the beginning,” he said.
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