Reproductive health, including contraception and in vitro fertilization (IVF), are closely tied to the issue of abortion.
That was demonstrated in February when the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos created during the IVF process could be considered “children.”
Supporters of IVF said the decision could make fertility clinics less likely to provide IVF treatments because of fears they could be prosecuted if frozen embryos were damaged or destroyed.
The issue came to the forefront again in mid-September when Senate Republicans blocked a bill that would have provided a nationwide right to IVF treatments.
Where Kamala Harris standsShe has said she will defend Americans’ rights to access contraception and fertility treatments.Harris believes the Alabama ruling was the direct result of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the protections under Roe v. Wade.After the Senate blocked the IVF bill, Harris released a statement criticizing “Republicans in Congress” for failing to “protect access to the fertility treatments many couples need to fulfill their dream of having a child.”On her Facebook page, Harris posted in May, “Contraception is health care, and every person in America should have the freedom to access the health care they need.”Where Donald Trump standsHe has recently stated that he wants to make IVF treatments free by either requiring insurance companies to cover the procedures or federally funding them, but he has not specified yet how such a program would be funded.In May, Trump said he was “open” to imposing regulations on access to contraception. A few days later, he clarified his position by saying he was against a ban on contraception but might still favor restrictions that make it more difficult to obtain them.He instituted some policies that reduced access to contraception during his presidency, including allowing more companies to opt out of birth control coverage in their workers’ health insurance plans.What healthcare experts think of the candidates’ stances on reproductive healthKelley said that while both Harris and Trump have signaled that they support opening access to IVF treatments, both camps are light on specifics on funding for the program and how the legislation would require insurance companies to cover the procedures.
“Despite their agreement in this area, logistically, IVF support may be challenging to implement as embryo-protective laws, like that in Alabama, could become more widespread with Republican leadership,” Kelley said.
He also noted that physicians are reluctant to provide treatments related to IVF in some states due to unclear regulations that open medical personnel and facilities to risk of litigation or, worse, criminal charges.
Additionally, Kelley said that reducing access to contraception will negatively affect lower income households by restricting their access to family planning materials. Without policies supporting expanded paid family leave and other family-friendly social programs, this could put extra stress on many families struggling in the current financial market.
“Contrary to this, the Harris campaign has championed reproductive health as fundamental healthcare, including the right to contraception and comprehensive reproductive care. By doing so, this would increase accessibility to care for women in low income or rural communities as well as minority populations,” Kelley said.
Learn more about how Harris and Trump differ on abortion and reproductive health with Healthline’s more expansive comparison here.