His govt would push for letting new parents deduct 'major newborn expenses' from taxes

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said on Aug 29 that he will require the government or insurance firms to pay for IVF fertility treatments if he is elected in November, a move likely aimed at appealing to women and suburban voters.

"We want to produce babies in this country, right?" he said during a town hall-style campaign event in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Earlier in the day in Michigan, he said his administration would push for allowing new parents to deduct "major newborn expenses" from their taxes.

Opinion polls show Trump has lost ground with women voters since Vice-President Kamala Harris became the Democratic candidate for the Nov 5 election.

Ms Harris led Trump by 49 per cent to 36 per cent among women voters in a Reuters/Ipsos poll published on Aug 29, compared with her nine-point lead in polls held in July.

In speeches, Ms Harris has attacked Trump's abortion position and painted Republicans as a threat to women's rights, including access to birth control and fertility treatments.

Trump, who as president appointed three of the justices who made up the majority that ended constitutional protection for abortion, has said the matter is now to be decided by individual states.