Alabama passes IVF safeguards, small minority sees IVF embryos as children

[KARAH RUCKER]

THE ALABAMA LEGISLATURE SWIFTLY TOOK ACTION IN THE WAKE OF A CONTROVERSIAL RULING BY THE STATE’S SUPREME COURT.

THE RULING DEFINED “EMBRYOS” DEVELOPED AS PART OF IN VITRO FERTILIZATION TREATMENT AS CHILDREN.

AND PUT A PAUSE ON IVF TREATMENT AT HOSPITALS AND CLINICS OVER FEAR OF POTENTIAL PROSECUTION AND LAWSUITS OVER THE DELICATE PROCEDURE.

LESS THAN TWO WEEKS SINCE THE RULING –

THE REPUBLICAN-LED STATE HOUSE AND SENATE PASSED LEGISLATION TO PROTECT DOCTORS, PATIENTS, AND HOSPITALS FROM BEING HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR DEATH OR DAMAGE TO AN IVF EMBRYO –

IN WHAT HAS BECOME THE LATEST “POST-ROE VERSUS WADE” FIRESTORM.

THE LEGISLATURE’S ACTION  WAS MEANT TO SERVE AS A SOLUTION SO TREATMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ON PAUSE FOR TWO WEEKS – CAN CONTINUE.

BUT THEIR “QUICK FIX” LEGISLATION – ISN’T ENOUGH FOR SOME ADVOCACY GROUPS.

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE STATE’S NEWLY PASSED LEGISLATION, SAYING IT DOESN’T DIRECTLY ADDRESS WHETHER EMBRYOS SHOULD HAVE THE SAME LEGAL RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS AS CHILDREN.

HERE’S HOW THE PASSED LEGISLATION READS.

“THIS BILL WOULD PROVIDE CIVIL AND CRIMINAL IMMUNITY FOR DEATH OR DAMAGE TO AN EMBRYO TO ANY INDIVIDUAL OR ENTITY WHEN PROVIDING OR RECEIVING GOODS OR SERVICES RELATED TO IN VITRO FERTILIZATION.”

ITS THAT WORD “DEATH” THAT CRITICS ARE FOCUSING ON –

BECAUSE THEY SAY THAT WORD IMPLIES “LIFE” FOR AN EMBRYO.

[KARLA TORRES | CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS]

THE CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS SAYS ALABAMA’S LEGISLATION

“…SEEKS TO GRANT PERSONHOOD TO EMBRYOS, REINFORCING THE STATE SUPREME COURT’S EXTREME RULING RECOGNIZING EMBRYOS AS CHILDREN.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

ANOTHER ADVOCACY GROUP CRITICIZING ALABAMA’S LEGISLATURE FOR FAILING

“…TO CORRECT THE SUPREME COURT’S NONSENSICAL STANCE THAT FERTILIZED EGGS ARE SCIENTIFICALLY AND LEGALLY EQUIVALENT TO CHILDREN.”

THE BELIEF THAT IVF EMBRYOS ARE CHILDREN AND THOSE WHO DESTROY THEM CAN BE LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE IS NOT SOMETHING THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS AGREE WITH.

AN AXIOS POLL CONDUCTED SHORTLY AFTER ALABAMA’S SUPREME COURT RULING FOUND AMERICANS OPPOSE THE IDEA MORE THAN TWO TO ONE.

66 PERCENT OF AMERICANS ARE AGAINST THE IDEA – WHILE 31 PERCENT AGREED.

SOME OF THOSE VOICES OF OPPOSITION COME FROM WOMEN DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE PAUSE IN IVF TREATMENTS.

WOMEN – WANTING TO BECOME MOTHERS – BUT IT NOT COMING EASY.

MORE THAN 150 IVF PATIENTS AND ADVOCATES MADE THEIR WAY TO THE ALABAMA STATEHOUSE JUST AHEAD OF THE LEGISLATURE’S PASSAGE OF TWO BILLS MEANT TO PROTECT PATIENTS AND CLINICS FROM PROSECUTION.

[Barbara Collura, President | The National Infertility Association]

What happens here today in these offices will be looked at by the rest of the country. This potentially could be a road map for other states to restrict access to IVF or a road map on how to protect access to IVF and family building.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

LOOKING SOLELY AT HOW REPUBLICANS FEEL ABOUT IVF EMBRYOS BEING CLASSIFIED AS CHILDREN?

THEY WERE SPLIT DOWN THE MIDDLE.

IT’S TYPICALLY BEEN A LOSING ISSUE FOR REPUBLICANS GIVEN THE DIVIDE FROM WITHIN.

ABORTION ISSUES ON BALLOTS TYPICALLY HAVE GONE IN FAVOR OF DEMOCRATS.

IT’S SOMETHING BOTH PARTIES ARE AWARE OF.

DEMOCRATS COULD LOOK TO CAPITALIZE ON ALABAMA’S IVF CONTROVERSY.

WHILE REPUBLICANS IN THE STATE LOOK TO SAVE IVF TREATMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY THE STATE COURT’S CONSERVATIVE POLICY.