After the Alabama Supreme Court last week ruled that frozen embryos can be considered children under state law, the largest hospitals in the state began a pause on all IVF treatments.

For Auburn men’s basketball head coach Bruce Pearl and his son, associate head coach Steven Pearl, the issue is personal.

"Government is supposed to help us and our families, not prevent my son and his wife from having their first child or my grandchild." – Auburn Head Coach Bruce Pearl on the battle to protect IVF in the state of Alabama. @StevenPearl22 @coachbrucepearl https://t.co/K77fkhZgvC pic.twitter.com/7aOHseZYa0

— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) February 27, 2024

Steven Pearl said he and his wife Brittany have gone through several rounds of the IVF process over the last year in an attempt to get pregnant.

He said they were just weeks away from getting a healthy embryo implanted, but the state Supreme Court ruling put a pause on this.

“There’s hundreds if not thousands of families across the state who are trying to create life and have children that are also in the middle of this very expensive treatment that are now also delayed,” he said.

RELATED: Reed, Ledbetter detail Alabama lawmakers’ approach to IVF: ‘Be very focused, get wise counsel’

His father used his platform at his press conference to speak on the issue.

“I am pro-life and pro-family and pro-child. I am a conservative Alabamian,” the Auburn head coach said. “I would like to use my platform to call on all three branches of our state government and encourage them to make Alabama the most pro-family and pro-child state in the nation, removing the obstacles that are now facing these couples going through the IVF process.

“Government is supposed to help us and our families. Not prevent my son and his wife from having their first child or my grandchild. So I just am calling on people that are hearing this or listening to this to call your state legislature or congressman or woman and tell them that you support IVF and if you can, show up at the steps of the capitol tomorrow and have your voice heard.

“I don’t think this is what the intent of the law was, so it’s gotta be fixed.”

Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP