DELAWARE - Reproductive rights were already at the forefront of the upcoming presidential election and that fight may have been supercharged this week by a ruling in Alabama.
The Alabama Supreme Court has declared embryos from in vitro fertilization (IVF) are children.Â
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, now vying for a Senate seat as a Republican, released a statement opposing the decision. "IVF helps give many Americans the chance to experience the joy of parenthood, and government should never stand in the way of that. The Alabama ruling should be overturned." Hogan declared.
IVF helps give many Americans the chance to experience the joy of parenthood, and government should never stand in the way of that. The Alabama ruling should be overturned.
— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) February 22, 2024
Meanwhile, in Delaware, Democratic Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester, also running for a Senate seat, took to twitter to push back against the ruling. "Reproductive freedom means the freedom to choose if, when, and how to start a family. The Alabama Supreme Court decision on IVF is yet another example of Republican anti-choice extremists attacking our rights," she tweeted.
Reproductive freedom means the freedom to choose if, when, and how to start a family. The Alabama Supreme Court decision on IVF is yet another example of Republican anti-choice extremists attacking our rights.
— Lisa Blunt Rochester (@LisaBRochester) February 22, 2024
In the aftermath of the Alabama decision at least three medical centers in the state have paused IVF treatments. Mark Nix, President and CEO of Infirmary Heath said in a statement "The recent Alabama Supreme Court decision has sadly left us with no choice but to pause IVF treatments for patients. We understand the burden this places on deserving families who want to bring babies into this world and who have no alternative options for conceiving."
President Biden condemned the decision, labeling it "outrageous and unacceptable." Republican candidate Nikki Haley first reacted by saying "Embryos, to me, are babies." She has since walked that back a bit now saying "I didn't say that I agreed with the Alabama ruling." Former President Donald Trump has not, at this point, responded to the ruling.Â
The debate surrounding reproductive rights, medical ethics, and the legal status of embryos will continue to be a hot topic as the political season heats up and as we get closer to the elections scheduled for November.