Last week, Alabama’s Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are legally considered children, a decision which put the entire practice of in vitro fertilization (IVF) into question in the state. Doctors and clinics that previously performed the procedure announced they would pause the practice for fear of being held liable if embryos are destroyed or damaged.
The consequences of the decision have rippled throughout the state, devastating people and couples who were counting on IVF to have biological children or have frozen embryos but are no longer allowed to do with them what they wish. “This ruling is extremely alarming,” says Elisabeth Smith, director of state policy at the Center for Reproductive Rights. “Granting legal personhood to embryos could have disastrous consequences for the use of IVF—a science many people rely on to build their families. Providers of IVF may stop offering IVF altogether or leave Alabama now that they could face penalties. This is part of the chaos we knew would ensue if Roe v. Wade was overturned. With politicians at the helm instead of doctors, reproductive health care is in crisis.”
