Alabama embryo ruling leads clinics to stop IVF treatments in Mobile, Homewood, Huntsville
Two more fertility clinics, one in Mobile and another with offices in Homewood, Montgomery and Huntsville, just announced pauses to in vitro fertilization.
Mobile Infirmary Medical Center and the Alabama Center for Reproductive Medicine in Mobile announced the decision this morning.
“The recent Alabama Supreme Court decision has sadly left us with no choice but to pause IVF treatments for patients,” said Mark Nix, President and CEO of Infirmary Health in a statement. “We understand the burden this places on deserving families who want to bring babies into this world and who have no alternative options for conceiving.”
Mobile Infirmary and Center for Reproductive Medicine said they are pausing procedures to prepare embryos for transfer.
Alabama Fertility, which has offices in Homewood, Montgomery and Huntsville, is also pausing some treatments, according to the Associated Press.
“We are contacting patients that will be affected today to find solutions for them and we are working as hard as we can to alert our legislators as to the far reaching negative impact of this ruling on the women of Alabama,” Alabama Fertility stated. “AFS will not close. We will continue to fight for our patients and the families of Alabama.”
The University of Alabama at Birmingham already paused some IVF treatments.
Clinics are pausing the procedure to evaluate the legal consequences of creating and destroying embryos, which are now covered under the state’s wrongful death law. In a statement, a spokesperson from UAB also said the health system had concerns about criminal liability.
The lawsuit that led to the frozen embryo ruling began in Mobile after three parents sued Mobile Infirmary and the Center for Reproductive Medicine. After the trial court dismissed the case, the Alabama Supreme Court agreed to review, and eventually overturn, that decision.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.