State Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, on Thursday filed a bill he hopes protects the in vitro fertilization process in Alabama.

The bill follows a state supreme court ruling that frozen embryos can be considered children under state law. As a result, at least two IVF providers have paused their fertility treatments in order to avoid legal consequences.

In its ruling, the court cited a 2018 constitutional amendment protecting the rights of the unborn.