The Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos created during IVF are “extrauterine children” and have legal protections, causing some clinics in the state to pause IVF services out of fear they could face legal trouble for mishandling embryos.

The ruling has intensified the fight over abortion, raising questions such as whether donors are legally protected from destroying their embryo or what rights exactly an embryo has. 

“I think IVF is an issue that hasn't been politicized before and could be one that could get people thinking about the ways that reproductive health is connected to politics and engage them,” says Shana Gadarian, professor of political science and associate dean for research. “It may push people to the polls.”

Read more in the USA Today article, “Will Alabama IVF ruling motivate voters in state for 2024 election?”

Gadarian was also quoted in the USA Today article, “Will Alabama IVF ruling sway voters from Trump to Biden?”

“The concept of what this means, that embryos have rights, is very different from someone thinking 'now I can’t pursue parenthood.' It's about the ability to become a parents on your schedule and at your choosing," says Gadarian. "Now that we see this is a policy that’s affecting real people, it’s going to become even more unpopular.”