(MedPage Today) – In the wake of the Alabama Supreme Court decision establishing that frozen embryos can be considered children, some IVF clinics in that state have paused operations — because discarding embryos is inherent to the process.

There are a few reasons why embryos are discarded, reproductive endocrinologists told MedPage Today: they stop growing and won’t lead to a pregnancy; genetic testing reveals chromosomal abnormalities; or some embryos are left over after patients are done building their families. (Read More)