Will Trump keep his promises on IVF, abortion?

Incoming president Donald Trump has sought to paint himself as a moderate on the issue, while he is the one most directly responsible for the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Reproductive medicine leaders have mixed views on incoming President Donald Trump, who is the person most responsible for the loss of abortion rights, and yet has promised to advance In Vitro Fertilization going forward. 

Trump promised not to sign any abortion bans during his campaign. His wife, Melania, wrote an extensive essay in which she said she was a staunch supporter of abortion rights. In 1999, he appeared on Meet the Press to say he supported abortion rights. 

Yet, he appointed three justices to the Supreme Court, who formed a majority with the other conservatives to overturn Roe v. Wade. He’s also repeatedly sought to endear himself with the antiabortion movement by pointing that out while saying that Republicans had to win elections as well. He also has criticized the New York law, which allows abortion after 24 weeks if a medical provider determines the fetus isn’t viable or the mother’s health is at risk. 

He has said he supports exceptions for abortion for rape, incest, and the health of the mother. Yet, he never addressed the problem of how those exceptions never work because doctors are too afraid of prosecution even in those circumstances.

Could that be used as justification to pass something as Gov. Nikki Haley did in South Carolina, which restricted abortion past the 20th week? 

In rhetoric, Republicans have sought to rebrand what is essentially an abortion ban done later in pregnancy as a consensus among Americans when it should be permitted. 

The question remains whether or not he will keep his campaign promise to women not to restrict abortion rights or follow any of Project 2025’s recommendations about enforcing the Comstock Act or rescinding FDA approval of mifepristone and misoprostol, which are the two pills that work in tandem to cause abortion.  

The latter point could be determined by Robert Kennedy Jr., who could join the administration as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services leader. Kennedy has said that he supported abortion rights up to the point of fetal viability. 

There is little chance that the Comstock Act will be repealed in Congress, as Republicans have gained four Senate seats thus far. That law had been part of a suggested strategy to prevent the mailing of medication abortion. It had been an antiquated law that had been on the books to limit contraceptives in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 

I spoke to Sean Tipton, chief advocacy officer for the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. He said their organization hopes that Trump will live up to his promise of free universal IVF treatments. As for the abortion ban, it’s more of a wait-and-see. 

“I suspect there'll be plenty of nibbling around the edges,” Tipton said. “A lot of pressure, too. So I think things like access to medication abortion, maybe transportation issues, things like that, we're all going to have to be diligent.” 

The last few years have been tumultuous, ever-changing, and challenging for women. However, inspiring successes have also been achieved in unlikely places, like Missouri and Ohio. Some leaders, like Rachel Sweet, who has been a key figure in victories in Kansas, Missouri, and Kentucky, are people I'd like to see play even more prominent roles in the movement. The doctors who helped drive the Ohio movement should also be consulted and involved more.