According to an article by MIT Technology Review, while President Donald Trump aimed to make IVF more accessible in the United States, his administration’s other actions significantly threatened global reproductive health. On his first day in office, Trump ordered a 90-day pause on US foreign development assistance, followed by a “stop work” memo that froze all US-funded aid programs. This sudden halt had devastating consequences, with estimates suggesting that more than 8,000 women could die from pregnancy-related complications if the funding isn’t reinstated within the 90-day period.
In addition to these cuts, Trump reinstated the global gag rule, a policy that prevents organizations receiving US health funding from providing abortion counseling or care. This decision immediately stripped vital funding from organizations like MSI Reproductive Choices, which lost $14 million—money that could have supported contraceptive services for over two million women and girls. The funding freeze also disrupted ongoing clinical trials, led to job losses, and forced the shutdown of critical health programs around the world.
Experts interviewed by MIT Technology Review highlighted that this move could have long-lasting effects on global health infrastructure, particularly harming women and girls who often face reduced access to health services during crises. The Guttmacher Institute projected that if the funding freeze continued for the full 90 days, approximately 11.7 million women and girls would lose access to contraceptive care, leading to 4.2 million unintended pregnancies. Of those, over 8,000 women could die from complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
Despite Trump’s efforts to increase reproductive options through improved access to IVF, critics argue that these actions contradict broader reproductive freedoms by limiting access to essential health services for millions of women worldwide.
