President Donald Trump’s recent executive order, “Expanding Access to In Vitro Fertilization,” was widely lauded by some as a solution to the nation’s declining birth rates. The idea seemed simple: if the U.S. needs more babies, then increasing access to reproductive technologies like IVF would be the answer. However, this logic is fundamentally flawed.
The problem with focusing on artificial reproductive technologies (ART) such as IVF is that it fails to address the root causes of the declining birth rate and, in some cases, exacerbates the issue. IVF, which is central to a $5.67 billion fertility industry, ignores the societal and cultural pressures contributing to infertility. Moreover, the process often leads to the destruction or indefinite freezing of embryos, with 90 to 93 percent of embryos created during IVF either discarded or left in stasis. This is a stark reminder that the solution to a declining birth rate cannot be found in a technology that involves creating and destroying life.
Fertility rates in the U.S. have been on the decline for decades, a trend that accelerated around 1960. By 2021, 26 states reported more deaths than births, a trend that signals the beginning of a demographic crisis. Experts like J.D. Vance and Elon Musk have warned that the economic and societal implications of a shrinking population will be devastating, with long-term consequences for infrastructure, financial systems, and global stability.
However, the issue at hand is not just a lack of babies; the West is experiencing a true fertility crisis. Fertility rates have plummeted, with a widening gap between the number of children women desire (2.7) and the number they are likely to have (1.6). As more couples attempt to conceive, an increasing percentage are unable to do so naturally. Multiple factors, including microplastics, stress, obesity, pesticides, and substance abuse, are contributing to this growing crisis. Women, in particular, are faced with the societal pressure to delay childbearing in favor of career advancement, leading to fertility struggles later in life. Family-unfriendly policies and cultural trends further complicate the decision to start a family during a woman’s optimal childbearing years.
Today, 1 in 6 married couples and 1 in 5 women are clinically infertile. If such a high failure rate occurred in any other part of the human body, public health officials would demand an investigation into the causes. Yet, after 12 months of trying to conceive naturally, American couples are referred to the ART industry to begin IVF treatments, which many consider an exploitative industry that preys on the emotional vulnerability of couples. Sadly, IVF often ends in the destruction of more embryos than the creation of viable pregnancies.
IVF separates the natural process of conception into mechanical steps, treating human life as a product rather than a process of love and unity. This approach not only dehumanizes the child but also fails to address the deeper emotional, cultural, and spiritual issues that contribute to the decline in fertility. Rather than providing a solution, IVF merely perpetuates the problem.
If the goal is to revitalize America’s “pro-baby/pro-family” movement, allocating resources to IVF alone will not be enough. The Trump administration has shown impressive speed in undoing progressivist policies, assembling a team of disruptors and innovators with the power to address the root causes of the country’s demographic decline. However, true change can only come when we begin addressing the cultural and societal factors that are driving the fertility crisis—rather than relying solely on technological fixes like IVF.
America needs real solutions, not temporary ones, to solve the pressing issue of our national baby bust. Let’s focus on policies that empower families to have children, tackle fertility issues at their source, and create a culture that supports family life.
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Soif d’amour: A Poignant Exploration of Love and Infertility
The Fertility Awakening: Ovasave’s Revolution in Women’s Reproductive Health
