YHF Statement RE: the AL Supreme Court ruling that “frozen embryos are children”:

Dear supporters,

Yellowhammer Fund is deeply disturbed regarding the unprecedented Alabama Supreme Court ruling that “frozen embryos are children”. This is the first ruling of its kind and it is already negatively affecting IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) access for Alabamians.

“‘This is a natural extension of the march toward fetal personhood’ said Dana Sussman, deputy executive director of Pregnancy Justice. ‘You only need one state to be the first out of the gate, and then the next one will feel less radical. This is a cause of great concern for anyone that cares about people’s reproductive rights and abortion care.’”

We are already seeing the largest hospital in the state halting their IVF services due to fear of prosecution. A fear we know all too well as we continue our lawsuit against Alabama’s Attorney General to fight for our right to fund legal abortions out of state.

We might sound like a broken record when we talk about “attacks on repro rights coming from all angles” but that’s because abortion bans have always been about more than abortion alone. This is yet another example of the many dangerous ripple effects of Roe being overturned. This is about state control and the state using its power to tell people what they can and can’t do with their bodies. 

This ruling is harmful, and will leave many confused about what health care is (or isn’t) accessible to them – something that our total abortion ban has already been doing even before it became law. While we don’t know the full extent of how that will play out, we will remain a resource for the latest news, updates, and ways to take action. 

Yellowhammer Fund will always support the right TO parent in safe, supportive environments. Thank you for being in this fight with us.

In solidarity,

Yellowhammer Fund