Governor Kay Ivey, on Thursday, issued a statement regarding recently introduced legislation that categorizes embryos as “potential life” but not “human life” until implanted in a uterus.
The bill, introduced by State Sen. Tim Melson, was drafted in response to the Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling last week that labeled frozen embryos as children. The decision by the state’s highest court caused significant concern among Alabama’s in vitro fertilization providers who now say they fear legal ramifications if they continue to treat the public.
Specifically, the new legislation states, “any human egg that is fertilized in vitro shall be considered a potential life but shall not for any purposes be considered a human life … unless and until the fertilized egg is implanted into a woman’s uterus and a viable pregnancy can be medically detected.”
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Ivey said she believes IVF is ultimately pro-life.
“Following the ruling from the Alabama Supreme Court, I said that in our state, we work to foster a culture of life,” Ivey explained. “This certainly includes some couples hoping and praying to be parents who utilize IVF. My Republican colleague in the Legislature, Senator Tim Melson, along with Senate and House members, are working on a solution to ensure we protect these families and life itself.”
“I look forward to continuing to closely follow this issue.”
As a result of the ruling, at least three fertility clinics in Alabama have already paused IVF treatments or restricted their services. The state’s largest hospital, UAB, has also begun halting various IVF services.
Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.
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