Three IVF providers in Alabama suspend services following Supreme Court ruling
Less than a week after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that embryos created through in vitro fertilization are considered children, three IVF providers in the state have suspended services as they consider the legal repercussions of the decision.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham was the first to announce the change, followed by Alabama Fertility and the Center for Reproductive Medicine at Mobile Infirmary.
Mark Nix, CEO of Infirmary Health, which includes Mobile Infirmary, expressed sympathy for the families affected by the decision and acknowledged the burden it placed on those trying to have a baby through IVF.
The ruling has left many questions unanswered and raised concerns among IVF providers, who fear potential legal penalties if they discard embryos. The judges’ decision came in response to a unique case in which frozen embryos were dropped on the floor after a person wandered into an unlocked storage area at Mobile Infirmary. The court determined that the clinic’s failure to secure the storage area violated the state’s Wrongful Death Act, leading to the embryos being considered human beings.
Patients like Meghan Cole, who was planning to start a family through IVF and surrogacy, have been left uncertain about the future of their embryos due to the ruling. Cole was devastated to learn that her embryo implantation appointment had been canceled.
Some IVF providers are continuing their services with adjustments, while others are pausing procedures for the time being.
The Medical Association of Alabama has called for a reconsideration or suspension of the ruling to ensure continued access to IVF.
In 2021, over 97,000 infants were born in the U.S. using assisted reproductive technology, with more than 500,000 deliveries per year globally through IVF.
This ruling has reignited debates about the legal status of embryos and the rights of IVF patients and providers. It raises questions about the potential impact on fertility treatments and the ability of individuals and couples to build their families through assisted reproductive technology.