We Can Do Better Than IVF

At first glance, President Trump’s recent executive order expanding access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) may appear to be a victory for couples struggling to conceive. Yet, what many do not realize is that IVF is not a cure for infertility. It is a costly, ethically compromising, high-risk intervention with limited data that sidesteps the root causes of reproductive-health challenges.

Rather than address the underlying medical issues that prevent conception, IVF acts as a Band-Aid solution, artificially fertilizing eggs outside the womb in a laboratory. Meanwhile, existing treatments that are safer, more effective, and more affordable help couples conceive naturally while improving their overall health. Consistent with the Trump administration’s policies of strengthening American families and their health, it should prioritize making these cost-effective superior treatments widely available.

IVF comes with serious health risks for both the mother and child. Women undergoing IVF face life-threatening complications, including ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, increased cancer risks, and higher rates of ectopic pregnancies. Children conceived through IVF are at far greater risk of health conditions such as premature birth, congenital birth defects, and leukemia.

These downsides don’t even include the countless ethical concerns that come with using IVF. The industry often operates with minimal oversight, leading to reports of embryos accidentally implanted in the wrong uterus and anonymous sperm donors fathering hundreds of children, sometimes resulting in half-siblings unknowingly marrying each other. Many families would prefer to avoid these risks altogether if they had access to better options.

As a physician specializing in precision medicine, I’ve seen firsthand how infertility can often be resolved by addressing core health imbalances. In many cases, women struggling to conceive suffer from hormone imbalances involving estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, insulin, or cortisol. Through targeted laboratory testing, personalized nutrition, and strategic supplementation or medication, these issues can be corrected, restoring fertility and enhancing overall health.

Restorative reproductive medicine (RRM), which includes natural procreative (NaPro) technology, offers a far better approach than IVF. These methods diagnose and treat underlying conditions including endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and thyroid dysfunction, all without shutting down a woman’s natural reproductive system. According to recent research published by the Heritage Foundation and the Ethics and Public Policy Center, RRM also provides an advanced surgical approach to treating endometriosis, an underdiagnosed and insufficiently treated condition in which cells that line the uterus grow outside of it, often causing infertility. Many couples seek out these treatments. In fact, NaPro has higher success rates than IVF, particularly for women with hormone imbalances or recurrent miscarriages, without the dangerous side effects.

Another commonly ignored factor in infertility is chronic inflammation, which disrupts ovulation and other essential reproductive functions. Conditions including Lyme disease, Epstein-Barr virus, and gut dysbiosis can wreak havoc on fertility, as can exposure to environmental toxins such as Bisphenol-A, phthalates, pesticides, and heavy metals. The first step for any couple struggling to conceive should be to address these root causes, not bypass the body’s natural processes with an expensive artificial laboratory procedure.

Regenerative medicine also holds promise. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) ovarian rejuvenation, for example, has been successful in improving ovarian function and hormone balance, especially for women with PCOS or premature ovarian insufficiency. PRP ovarian rejuvenation promotes tissue repair and improves ovarian microcirculation, offering a natural innovative solution.

Roughly half of all infertility cases involve male reproductive health, yet this aspect can be also overlooked. Simple natural interventions, such as ensuring adequate intake of zinc, selenium, coenzyme Q10, and vitamin C, can significantly improve sperm quality and motility. Antioxidant-rich diets and targeted supplementation can dramatically enhance male fertility, increasing a couple’s chances of conceiving without resorting to artificial reproductive technologies.

In our current health-care landscape, some groups are leading the way in making these advanced restorative fertility treatments accessible. Unlike traditional insurance companies, which prioritize IVF and other high-cost invasive interventions, these pioneering organizations help families afford cost-effective RRM and precision medical providers, empowering couples with real solutions that honor their dignity and respect their fertility. Every American family deserve access to these better, life-affirming options.

The current administration has a historic opportunity to make American families healthy again by helping them achieve thriving pregnancies naturally. The president has asked his administration for its policy recommendations on expanding access to IVF. We are currently within the 90-day window he has set for their submission. But if the problem is infertility, there are solutions far more effective, affordable, and safer than IVF. The Trump administration should do everything it can to ensure that these natural, restorative options are more widely available to better support families in their personal, often emotional journeys to parenthood. Our bodies are designed for fertility, and oftentimes they just need the right support.