Holly Honderich
American reporter

Before Donald Trump’s town hall even aired today, his pre-recorded comments about IVF (in vitro fertilization) made headlines.

The Republican called himself the “father” of IVF before saying he asked Senator Katie Britt of Alabama to explain what it was.

“I said explain IVF very quickly,” Trump told Fox News host Harris Faulkner. “And within about two minutes I understood that we are fully in favor of IVF.”

For months, Republicans have struggled to gain a foothold in the proceedings after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos were “unborn children” and that someone could be held liable for accidentally destroying them.

The decision opened a new front in the battle for reproductive health. IVF – like abortion – is supported by the majority of Americans, external. But the procedure is opposed by some social conservatives who make up the Republican base because it could involve the destruction of embryos.

Facing these numbers, Trump has worked in recent months to show his support for IVF, even promising to make the procedure free for all Americans — something even Democrats have not offered.

But critics say Trump’s support is hollow, pointing to his support for state abortion bans, which in some cases could jeopardize IVF in the country.