Alabama Supreme Court Rules Frozen Embryos Are ‘Children’ Under State Law

February 20, 2024

image of an oocyte being fertilized with a needle

(Associated Press) – The Alabama Supreme Court has ruled that frozen embryos can be considered children under state law, a ruling critics said could have sweeping implications for fertility treatments.

The decision was issued in a pair of wrongful death cases brought by three couples who had frozen embryos destroyed in an accident at a fertility clinic. Justices, citing anti-abortion language in the Alabama Constitution, ruled that an 1872 state law allowing parents to sue over the death of a minor child “applies to all unborn children, regardless of their location.” (Read More)