The Center for Reproductive Medicine in Mobile have left everyone shocked after it announced that it will not yet restart in vitro fertilization procedures. This is citing shortcomings in a law signed Wednesday night by Gov. Kay Ivey intended to shield doctors from legal liability, a spokesperson said. A spokesperson from the team confirmed and said, “At this time, we believe the law falls short of addressing the fertilized eggs currently stored across the state and leaves challenges for physicians and fertility clinics trying to help deserving families have children of their own.”
This announcement mentioned that the centre would not restart procedures until it receives legal clarification about the extent of the immunity provided by the new law of the place. Other hospitals UAB and Alabama Fertility, in the Birmingham area announced plans to restart IVF treatment in the coming days after the state passed a law aiming at shielding IVF clinics from legal liability.
This has caused a lot of confusion as it follows a surprise decision of the Alabama Supreme Court on Feb. 16 that found frozen embryos should be considered children under the state’s wrongful death law. The whole decision reffered to them as “extrauterine children” several times. It was throughout the ruling of the same. At least three fertility clinics paused services in response to the ruling because of the same.
Such treatment may leave patients with excess embryos. Many are worried the ruling would require permanent storage or implantation of all embryos, regardless of viability. Some even raised concerns that clinics could be sued whenever embryos didn’t survive the thawing and transfer process. This Wednesday night, Gov. Kay Ivey signed a bill that would give immunity to doctors performing fertility treatment. The governor and lawmakers conceded that the bill might not solve all the problems related to the court’s decision and everyone is waiting for it.
“IVF is a complex issue, no doubt, and I anticipate there will be more work to come, but right now, I am confident that this legislation will provide the assurances our IVF clinics need and will lead them to resume services immediately,” Ivey said in a statement this week.