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The Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling on Friday will transform infertility care across the state, potentially setting the stage for a ruling that a fetus or even an embryo outside the womb holds constitutional rights. The ruling is a reminder of how important fetal personhood is becoming for both the antiabortion movement and the Republican Party — and of its potentially drastic consequences. In the United States today, recognizing the value of an embryo or fetus sets a precedent that no state can permit access to abortion — and that anyone who chooses abortion may be committing a crime. (Mary Ziegler, 2/21)

In Alabama, the state Supreme Court last week ruled that frozen embryos are children and have the same legal rights as other “unborn children.” Justice Greg Cook, who offered a dissenting opinion, wrote that the decision “almost certainly ends” IVF in Alabama. This is an unjust ruling that takes away a reproductive right from women. (Michael Frerichs, 2/22)

We have been unsure about when or how we wanted to grow our family again, but this astounding court decision may have drastically limited our options moving forward. By conferring personhood status on our last frozen embryo, these seven judges have made us wonder if we can be charged with murder if we try to implant it but the pregnancy does not succeed. (Brittany Stuart, 2/22)