Alabama considers frozen embryos 'children'

The Alabama Supreme Court has held that embryos are preserved by freezing “children”, a decision that was heavily criticized by the American Medical Association and the White House on Tuesday, February 20. This court verdict was delivered on Friday “Devastating Consequences” for artificial insemination procedures in the South American state, according to Resolve, America's leading infertility association.

“Across the country, women are suffering the devastating consequences of the actions of Republican elected officials.”White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre condemned the attack on Tuesday. Friday's result reflects that “The chaos we expected when the Supreme Court overturned Roe VI. Wade»The 1973 ruling establishing the right to abortion, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced.

All Republican judges

In June 2022, the United States Supreme Court ended the constitutional guarantee of the right to abortion, leading many states, including Alabama, to restrict or ban them. Ahead of the presidential election in November, protecting abortion rights has become a hobby horse for Democrats.

In the appearance of Friday's decision, a complaint from three couples against a clinic that practices in vitro fertilization. Citing the 1872 Act on Wrongful Deaths of Minors, they sued after another patient accidentally destroyed their fetuses after entering a storage facility. A court initially dismissed the complaint, finding the embryos ineligible “person” Or“child”.

We believe that every human being, from the moment of conception, is created in the image of God. »

Alabama Supreme Court

But on Friday, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled by a 2-to-7 majority, all Republicans, that the infant mortality law was the opposite. “applies to all unborn children, without limitation”. “This applies to all children, born or unborn.”Judge Jay Mitchell writes in the text of the judgment, with biblical references. “The people of Alabama declare that it is the policy of this state that unborn human life is sacred.”He wrote referring to the government's ban on abortion. “We believe that every human being, from the moment of conception, is created in the image of God”He further mentions in his judgment.

“This new legal framework makes procedures like IVF impossible”, condemned the NGO Resolve. If the Alabama State Medical Association had warned of such a decision “Fertility Clinics May Be Closed, Specialists Moved to Other States to Practice” Their operation without fear of legal complications.