An Alabama hospital has announced its decision to discontinue in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments by the end of this year due to concerns about potential legal issues surrounding the therapy.
Mobile Infirmary stated in a press release on Wednesday that it would cease offering IVF services, citing recent developments in Alabama’s legal landscape.
This move comes in the wake of a ruling by Alabama’s Supreme Court, which held that individuals responsible for the destruction of frozen embryos could be held liable for wrongful death.
I.V.F. (Credits: The New York Times)
The hospital expressed its commitment to assisting families in Alabama and the Gulf Coast region who have embarked on the IVF process with hopes of starting a family.
While IVF treatments have been temporarily reinstated at Mobile Infirmary to support such families, the hospital has decided to discontinue this service as of December 31, 2024, due to concerns over potential litigation.
The Supreme Court’s ruling in February established that frozen embryos are legally considered children in the state of Alabama, subjecting them to laws pertaining to the wrongful death of minors.
IVF Treatments (Credits: The Hill)
This decision stemmed from a lawsuit filed by a group of IVF patients whose frozen embryos were destroyed when a patient accidentally dropped them on the floor after removing them from a cryogenic storage unit in December 2020.
Mobile Infirmary found itself entangled in legal proceedings following the court’s ruling in February, facing lawsuits from 2020 as well as additional litigation.
In response to the court’s decision, three other hospitals ceased offering IVF treatments in the subsequent week. However, some clinics resumed their services after Governor Kay Ivey signed new protections for both providers and patients in the state last month.
