Nikki Haley: 'Embryos, to Me, Are Babies'

University of Alabama suspends IVF treatments after court ruling
By Bob Cronin,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 21, 2024 7:10 PM CST
Haley Backs Court Ruling on Frozen Embryos
The exterior of the Alabama Supreme Court building in Montgomery, Alabama, on Tuesday.   (AP Photo/Kim Chandler)

Nikki Haley on Wednesday addressed a state ruling that considers frozen embryos created through in-vitro fertilization to be humans, saying, "Embryos, to me, are babies." The Republican presidential candidate made the comments in an interview with NBC News. The ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court has caused concern among patients and health care providers about the future of the procedure; the University of Alabama at Birmingham announced Wednesday that it's suspending IVF treatments in light of the court decision. The school said it wants to weigh whether its patients or doctors could be prosecuted under the ruling. IVF allows doctors to test embryos for genetic abnormalities and implant only healthy ones, reducing the risk of miscarriage, NBC News notes.

Haley expressed understanding of the ruling by the Alabama court, all of whose members are Republicans. "When you talk about an embryo, you are talking about, to me, that's a life," she said. "And so I do see where that's coming from when they talk about that." Haley, whose son was born after she underwent artificial insemination, said the ruling's impact on IVF treatments needs to be looked into, per AL.com.

"I think that we have to have those conversations," she said. Asked about the effects of such rulings on people trying to have a child, Haley said, "This is one where we need to be incredibly respectful and sensitive." The university's statement said, "We are saddened that this will impact our patients' attempt to have a baby through IVF." (More Nikki Haley 2024 stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X