A large hospital in Alabama has decided to temporarily halt in vitro fertilization treatments following a state court ruling that declared frozen embryos as the legal equivalent of children. The University of Alabama Birmingham's UAB Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility made this decision after the Alabama Supreme Court stated that cryopreserved embryos are considered human beings. The ruling, delivered by an all-Republican court, has sparked concerns about the future of IVF treatments in the state and the potential unintended consequences of anti-abortion laws. Patients have been left questioning the continuation of scheduled IVF treatments, while fertility treatment providers are seeking legal counsel to understand the implications of the ruling.

The court's decision, based on the language in the Alabama Constitution recognizing the 'rights of the unborn child,' allows three couples to sue for wrongful death when their frozen embryos are harmed. Justice Jay Mitchell emphasized that unborn children are considered 'children' regardless of their developmental stage or physical location, raising questions about the treatment of frozen embryos that were previously seen as property by the courts. The ruling has created uncertainty for both IVF treatment providers and patients, particularly regarding the freezing, donation, or destruction of unused embryos.

Eric Johnston, an anti-abortion activist and lawyer involved in drafting the constitutional language, explained that the purpose was primarily focused on abortion rights. The court's decision has spurred discussions on the ethical, medical, and legal implications of considering a frozen fertilized egg as a person, highlighting the complexity of the issue. While opponents warned about potential personhood implications back in 2018 when the anti-abortion language was added to the Alabama Constitution, the recent ruling has reignited debates on the protection of embryos and the impact on reproductive rights.