FOUND FROZEN EMBRYOS ARE CHILDREN WITHOUT EXCEPTION, A RULING
WHICH COULD HAVE BROAD
IMPLICATIONS.
LAURA JARRETT HAS
MORE.
>> Reporter: GABBYY
RODRIGUEZ
RODRIGUEZ, LIKE SO
MANY OTHERS, IS
CURRENTLY UNDERGOING
FERTILITY TREATMENT.
>> WE’RE IN THIS VERY
TRADITIONAL FAMILY
THAT JUST WANTS TO
HAVE A KID.
>> Reporter: BUT SHE
SNOW ON EDGE AFTER THE
HIGHEST COURT IN
ALABAMA DECIDED FROZEN
EMBRYOS ARE CHILDREN,
AND PEOPLE CAN BE HELD
LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE
FOR DESTROYING THEM.
RODRIGUEZ WORRIES
KNOWING DOCTORS MAY
FIND SOME OF HER
EMBRYOS NOT VIABLE.
>> I DON’T NECESSARILY
WANT TO IMPLANT A
CHILD THAT I KNOW IS
GOING TO MISCARRY.
SO WHAT DOES THAT
MEAN?
MY MAIN WORRY IS WHAT
ARE WE GOING TO DO
WITH THE ONES THAT ARE
GENETICALLY ABNORMAL
AND WHAT DOES THIS
MEAN IF MY CLINIC
SHUTS DOWN.
>> Reporter: THOSE
QUESTIONS TONIGHT ALL
BECAUSE OF FRIDAY’S
RULING IN A WRONGFUL
DEATH CASE WHERE THE
ALABAMA SUPREME COURT
FOUND PARENTS COULD
SUE AN IV F CLINIC
AFTER THEIR FROZEN
EMBRYOS WERE DROPPED
AND DESTROYED.
THE DECISION FINDING
EMBRYOS ON ICE NO
DIFFERENT THAN UNBORN
CHILDREN IN THE WOMB
COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY
MASSIVE RAMIFICATIONS
WHEN FROZEN EMBRYOS
ARE REGULARLY CREATED
AND DISCARDED AS PART
OF FERTILITY
TREATMENTS.
>> ULTIMATELY PATIENTS
WILL BE HARMED BY THIS
DECISION.
>> Reporter: DR.
McLEAN A FERTILITY
SPECIALIST SAYS SHE
HAS BEEN FIELDING
CALLS OVER THE COURT
DECISION WITH NO EASY
ANSWERS.
>> WE’RE CONCERNED
WITH THE NEW RULING WE
MAY HAVE TO LIMIT
FERTILIZATION OF EGGS
WHICH WILL LIMIT
SUCCESS OF TREATMENT,
LIMIT EFFICIENCY,
INCREASE COSTS AND OF
COURSE RISK TO
PATIENTS.
>> Reporter: WHILE THE
DECISION IS A FIRST OF
ITS KIND, OTHER STATES
LIKE FLORIDA NOW
CONSIDERING LAWS
ALLOWING PARENTS TO
BRING SIMILAR WRONGFUL
DEATH CLAIMS.
OTHERS DEBATING BILLS
DEFINING LIFE TO BEGIN
AT THE MOMENT OF
FERTILIZATION.
>> I NEVER ENVISIONED
THAT ANYBODY WOULD
QUESTION THE MORALITY
OF IVF.
AND NOW IT’S VERY
SCARY.
>> LAURA, WHAT HAPPENS
NOW?
IS THIS THE KIND OF
DECISION THAT CAN BE
APPEALED?
>> LESTER, THIS COULD
GO ALL THE WAY UP TO
THE U.S. SUPREME
COURT.
BUT THERE IS NO
GUARANTEE THE JUSTICES