U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that IVF isn't the way to support reproductive health - and that we should instead focus on more holistic approaches to fertility.
On one level, he's not wrong.
We should be looking at our health holistically.
We should be educating women earlier about their reproductive options, improving healthcare access, and supporting proactive choices long before crisis point.
But what frustrates me - and what often gets lost in political commentary like this - is the reality that for many people, IVF is the only option left.
And suggesting it shouldn't be a part of the reproductive health conversation is not just misguided, it's harmful.
IVF is rarely the starting point for a fertility journey.
It's usually a last resort, after years of trying, testing, disappointment, and sometimes heartbreak.
It's physically and emotionally demanding, it's expensive, and it doesn't always work.
But sometimes, it's the only door left open - and that door needs to stay open.
Side-lining IVF from the conversation around reproductive health ignores what countless people actually face.
Yes, let's talk about earlier education and holistic care - but not at the expense of the life-changing technologies that exist when those earlier paths aren't enough.
When I froze my eggs in my 20s, I wasn't doing it because I had a plan.
I did it because I didn’t - and I wanted to keep my options open.
That decision gave me time, clarity, and a sense of control.
But I only knew egg freezing was even possible because I did my own research.
I had to ask the questions no one else was asking me.
That's what real holistic support looks like: giving women the full picture.
Not just the wellness route. Not just the medical one. All of it.
It means providing earlier education around fertility decline.
Normalising conversations about egg freezing as a proactive option.
Encouraging preventative care and lifestyle support, and making sure IVF remains available for those who need it.
And this matters now more than ever.
The U.S. birth rate is declining - below the 2.1 births per woman needed to maintain a stable population.
And infertility is also on the rise, with more couples facing challenges in conceiving.
The same is happening in Australia.
In 2023, Australia's birth rate hit a record low, with the total fertility rate dropping to 1.5 births per woman - the lowest rate ever recorded.
We can't keep having these conversations too late.
Fertility planning and education need to be part of mainstream healthcare, not something people discover only when things don't go to plan.
The danger in Trump's framing is his opinion piece published today in
Newsweek is that it turns this into an either/or issue - holistic care or IVF.
But for many people, it's both. And for some, it's IVF or nothing.
Reproductive health is never one-size-fits-all.
Some women conceive naturally with ease. Others rely on support - supplements, surgery, IVF, donor eggs.
And many simply want the chance to plan ahead, which is where egg freezing comes in.
If we truly want to support women, we need to stop pretending there's one right way.
The real solution lies in access, information, and choice.
There's no denying we need more comprehensive fertility education and better support for women and men navigating their reproductive health.
But dismissing IVF - even subtly - sends the wrong message.
It's not the answer for everyone. But for some, it's everything.
