Health and social policy

Executive Order 13952: Protecting Vulnerable Newborn and Infant Children

President: Donald J. Trump

Directed HHS to inform federally funded programs of existing legal duties to provide medically appropriate care to infants born alive, including premature or disabled infants.

Status: In effect. Sources: Executive Order 13952 signed text · Federal Register executive order disposition table.

Is Executive Order 13952 still in effect? Yes. The September 25, 2020 order continues to direct HHS to enforce newborn-care and disability protections, investigate complaints, and prioritize relevant research and training funds. These directions have no sunset, and the Federal Register disposition table records no revocation.

What does Executive Order 13952 do?

EO 13952 directed agencies to review policies affecting newborn and infant care and support lawful protections.

Later primary evidence reviewed September 24, 2026: HHS prepared an approved proposed rule discussing this order's directions on treatment and nondiscrimination for infants; the cited prepublication document does not establish a final rule or changed clinical practice. Official source. The cited steps do not establish every downstream effect.

Administration position: Any policy rationale or projected benefit in the order is the administration’s position. This index record does not treat those claims as independently established facts.
SignedSeptember 25, 2020
IssuerPresident Donald J. Trump
TermFirst presidential term

Before and after

Before the order

Federal newborn and infant-care programs operated under existing health and civil-rights laws.

After the order

HHS prepared an approved proposed rule discussing this order's directions on treatment and nondiscrimination for infants; the cited prepublication document does not establish a final rule or changed clinical practice.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
PresidentSigned and issued the orderSeptember 25, 2020
Named agencies and officialsCarry out directions specified in the orderAccording to the primary text

What happened next

Executive Order 13952 signed.

Later primary evidence reviewed: HHS prepared an approved proposed rule discussing this order's directions on treatment and nondiscrimination for infants; the cited prepublication document does not establish a final rule or changed clinical practice.