Raising children can be expensive. For Bree Sison and her spouse, the process of conceiving was also costly.

However, the financial burden has been significant since they did not have insurance to cover the $40,000 cost of fertility treatments. Coupled with other expenses like student loans, daycare fees, and their mortgage payments, managing their family budget has become extremely challenging for them.

In early 2024, Bree Sison and her spouse, Sam Stuart, welcomed their daughter into the world.

“I often feel like a single mother for most of the year,” expressed Sison, 40, from Richmond, Virginia. “This situation is directly linked to our financial struggles.”

This election season, many families are focusing on the need for financial support due to the soaring costs associated with infertility treatments. According to Resolve, an infertility advocacy organization, fifteen states have enacted laws providing some level of insurance coverage for IVF. However, those without such coverage often resort to personal loans or even second mortgages to manage the expenses of treatment, which can exceed $10,000 per cycle.

A 2024 KFF survey revealed that approximately 1 in 8 women of reproductive age reported needing fertility assistance services at some point in their lives.

According to a study, 14% of women indicated that they had undergone in vitro fertilization (IVF), which is a form of assisted reproductive technology. This process involves merging eggs with sperm in a laboratory setting to create embryos.

Courtney Deady and her spouse have been attempting to have a child for almost a decade. As she prepares to cast her vote, Deady carefully examines the candidates’ recommendations. She has invested nearly $40,000 in fertility treatments, which include around $6,000 worth of medication depicted in the accompanying image.

To understand where they stand on insurance mandates or tax incentives, it’s important to explore their perspectives.

As the community support director for the Building Military Families Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping military and veteran families, Deady, who is 34 years old, frequently travels to Washington to advocate for affordable reproductive healthcare. The financial challenges faced by military families are significant since their benefits often do not cover these healthcare needs adequately.

The challenges surrounding fertility treatments are particularly significant, she noted. “This issue transcends political divides,” she emphasized. “Infertility should be recognized as a medical condition, much like cancer.”

This National Guard family from Ohio has endured numerous cycles of hope and disappointment, which have taken a substantial emotional toll on them. Their aspiration to become parents has been further hindered by the overwhelming financial burden — they’ve already spent $100,000 out of pocket.

They have only one embryo available, but even if they were prepared to proceed, they cannot do so at the moment. With interest rates being high, taking out another personal loan is not financially feasible for them.

“We remain optimistic that it will be successful, but we need to be able to afford it, and right now that’s just not possible,” Deady mentioned.

Positions of Harris and Trump on IVF

Voters are seeking answers from former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris regarding solutions.

Almost 60% of people are interested in hearing candidates discuss IVF, as indicated by a KFF survey.

“It’s unprecedented to see fertility services clearly becoming a topic in political campaigns,” mentioned Usha Ranji, associate director for Women’s Health Policy at KFF.

Karoline Leavitt, spokesperson for Trump, stated that he would advocate for “universal access” to IVF.

While campaigning, Trump has promised to take care of the expenses related to IVF treatments. However, his campaign has not provided any estimates for these costs.

During a campaign event in Michigan this past August, Trump stated, “Under a Trump administration, your government will ensure that all costs associated with IVF treatment are covered – either through direct payment or by mandating your insurance company to cover them. Our goal is simple: we want more babies.”

Vice President Kamala Harris has expressed strong support for IVF but hasn’t detailed any plans to improve fertility coverage.

This follows a ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court in February concerning frozen embryos.

After discussing the impact of IVF on children, Harris attributed the fertility treatment crisis to Trump, claiming it was a direct consequence of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

“The only candidate in this election who truly supports women and will safeguard our right to make our own healthcare choices is Vice President Kamala Harris,” stated Sarafina Chitika, a spokesperson for Harris’s campaign, in an interview with YSL News.

Who will finance IVF coverage?

The future of IVF insurance coverage remains unclear, regardless of the outcome of the presidential election.

A national requirement for IVF insurance would likely need approval from Congress. This could be challenging if Republicans gain control of either the House or Senate, as noted by Barbara Collura, CEO of Resolve.

“There’s potential for progress with both presidential candidates,” she stated. “However, if one chamber is Republican-led, achieving this may become more complicated.”

Determining who will cover the costs of IVF can often be a significant challenge.

Collura noted that in states where IVF is required to be covered, the financial burden has not been overwhelming. She referenced statistics from Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island—states that have had mandated infertility coverage for over thirty years—which indicate that these benefits comprise less than

1% of total premium costs.
Vanessa Brown Calder, who is the director of opportunity and family policy studies at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, believes that requiring insurance to cover IVF would result in an annual expense of approximately $7 billion for the government. She also warns that if there is a surge in demand for IVF due to extended insurance coverage, costs could rise significantly to around $43 billion per year.

Alabama has brought IVF into the mainstream political discussion after the state’s Supreme Court ruling.

A recent Supreme Court decision has sparked a conversation about reproductive rights. Despite surveys indicating that most Americans are in favor of in vitro fertilization (IVF), there remains opposition due to ethical concerns surrounding the potential destruction of surplus embryos.

Democratic lawmakers, such as Senator Tammy Duckworth from Illinois, have introduced the “Right to IVF Act,” emphasizing that IVF is a vital component of reproductive health services. However, Sean Tipton, who serves as the chief advocacy and policy officer for the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, noted that gaining support for IVF from many Republican members is more challenging.

This year, Congress attempted unsuccessfully on two occasions to pass legislation aimed at safeguarding access to IVF treatments.

The initiative has faced opposition from Senate Republicans.

“We are pleased to hear Donald Trump’s supportive comments regarding IVF and his call for insurance coverage for it,” stated Tipton. “However, those remarks, to put it lightly, lack detail. As a result, it’s challenging to determine the implications.”

When Collin Corbett, a Republican strategist from the Chicago area, and his wife Abbey welcomed their first child in March after over three years of undergoing IVF treatments, his phone was inundated with messages regarding the GOP.

Corbett emphasized that the perception of widespread opposition among conservatives to the procedure is inaccurate. Through his daily interactions with numerous conservatives nationwide, he has gained insights that contradict this belief.

Collin Corbett, a political strategist from the Chicago area, expressed that IVF shouldn’t be politicized. He and his wife Abbey celebrated the arrival of their first son in March after going through three and a half years of IVF.

A survey conducted last year by Kellyanne Conway’s consulting firm regarding IVF and fertility treatments indicates strong backing for these issues among conservatives, revealing that 78% of respondents support them.

A significant 83% of evangelicals and those who oppose abortion share a similar sentiment.

“In vitro fertilization (IVF) holds great personal significance for me and is vital for many families, especially given the declining birth rates nationwide. This isn’t an issue that should be turned into a political tool,” Corbett expressed. “If you want to debate other topics, that’s fine.”

“This is truly a reality for many. It represents the future for numerous families and poses significant economic challenges,” he explained.

He noted that despite having insurance and owning a business, the expenses of IVF completely depleted their savings.

“I can’t fathom how working families who are trying to make ends meet would manage to afford this if they want children,” Corbett remarked. “It’s undeniably a key factor in the overall living costs for families today, and more politicians should address it.”

Fertility voters might support Harris-Walz.

Concerns About Trump’s IVF Promises

Several voters expressed doubts to YSL News regarding Trump’s commitment to his promises related to IVF.

“I have no reason to trust what he says,” remarked Sison, a former IVF patient from Virginia. “I’m skeptical of conservatives, especially concerning this matter.”

Sison, who has historically voted Republican, is now supporting Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, who also has personal experience with fertility issues.

“He understands the importance of family building and the challenges that can come with it.”

Sison expressed that being a parent involves an immense capacity for love, and this experience is often beyond one’s control.

A recent KFF survey targeting women voters reveals that Kamala Harris is viewed as more trustworthy than Donald Trump regarding policies related to abortion, birth control, and IVF, with a 2-to-1 lead.

Stephanie Vojas Taylor, a 41-year-old attorney and mother of two from Chicago, successfully conceived her first child via in vitro fertilization after facing challenges with fertility. She expressed concerns about the Supreme Court’s ruling to reverse R

After the decision on Roe v. Wade in 2022 raised concerns about the future of fertility treatments for families, she played a key role in updating Illinois legislation to safeguard access to IVF and other reproductive assistance technologies.

“The overwhelming sadness of being unable to conceive is something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy,” shared Vojas Taylor, a 41-year-old attorney and mother of two from Chicago. She became pregnant with her first child through in vitro fertilization after facing difficulties in trying to get pregnant.

Her and her husband invested approximately $50,000 to have their first child. “It’s essential for both Republicans and Democrats to come together and ensure people can access this treatment. Ultimately, it’s about providing choices and improving the likelihood of having a baby.