Donald Trump extends support to IVF treatment after Alabama ruling

United States former president Donald Trump on Friday (Feb 23) said that he supportsIVF treatment, as he joined the list of Republicans who have distanced themselves from a ruling given by an Alabama court over the issue.

The top court of the state last week ruled that frozen embryos have similar rights as children and that people can be heldliable for destroying them. After the court's ruling, at least three clinics halted IVF treatment.

Speaking about the issueTrump asked Alabama to find "an immediate solution".

"We want to make it easier for mothers and fathers to have babies, not harder! That includes supporting the availability of fertility treatments like IVF in every State in America," wrote the former president, on his Truth Social platform.

"[Like] the VAST MAJORITY of Republicans, Conservatives, Christians, and Pro-Life Americans, I strongly support the availability of IVF for couples who are trying to have a precious baby," he added.

This was the first time Trump commented on the issue and hinted at his opposition to a ruling which, according to some Republicans, can harm them electorally by disturbing their plans to win the support of suburban women and also swing voters.

'Ruling not intendedto prosecute IVF providers'

Meanwhile on Friday (Feb 23) Alabama's Republican Attorney General Steve Marshall, in an effort to ease the concerns regarding IVF in the state, said that he does not intend to prosecute either the providers of IVF or the families of those opting for IVF.

The National Republican Senate Committee, distancing itself from the Alabama ruling, sent out a memo to candidates in which it asked them to support IVF and "campaign on increasing access" to the treatment.

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"There are zero Republican Senate candidates who support efforts to restrict access to fertility treatments," said the committee's executive director, Jason Thielman, in the memo as reported by BBC.

The memo further cited the data of internal polling conducted by Kellyanne Conway, who once was Trump's White House adviser, to show that access to IVF is popular.

Meanwhile, various Senate candidates, including Kari Lake in Arizona, also came out publicly in support of access to the treatment after the circulation of the memo.

(With inputs from agencies)