Alabama IVF Patients Seek Financial Assistance on GoFundMe Following State Ruling that Suspends Fertility Services
When the news broke that Alabama’s Supreme Court had ruled frozen embryos as “extrauterine children” under state law, Heather Maurer didn’t think much of it. She and her husband, Chris Maurer, had already made plans to transfer their final embryo in March at a fertility center in Birmingham. However, their plans quickly changed when Heather received a call from her doctor informing her that the clinic would be halting all in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures until further notice.
The Maurers, who had started their fertility treatments over four years ago in Alabama before moving to Sacramento, were devastated. They had already purchased flight tickets and now faced uncertainty about their plans to have a second child. They were not alone in their struggle; many families would now see their reproductive care disrupted due to the court’s ruling. Alongside disappointment and confusion, families were also facing unexpected expenses as they scrambled to find a way to continue treatment. The cost of transporting embryos alone could amount to thousands of dollars.
For Heather, a nurse working in intensive care, it would cost about $4,000 to transport her embryos out of the state, plus close to $10,000 to restart treatment in California. These costs did not include the family-law attorney fees they were considering to navigate the state’s new ruling. In desperation, the Maurer family turned to GoFundMe for financial support, hoping to raise $2,000 to help defray the unexpected costs. As of Tuesday, they had received $550 in donations.
The Alabama Supreme Court ruling adds complexity to an already challenging treatment process. Dr. Kara Goldman, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, explained that IVF typically requires multiple lab-grown embryos for a single viable pregnancy. Reproduction is an inefficient process, with many potential obstacles at each step. Even for patients at peak fertility, only about 60% of embryos have no chromosomal abnormalities.
The Alabama ruling now considers embryos as children under state law. This has led to multiple clinics in Alabama halting IVF services while they assess the legal implications of the decision. Consequently, families are desperately trying to move their embryos out of Alabama. CryoFuture, a California-based company specializing in embryo shipping and storage technology, has received a significant influx of requests from affected Alabama patients. The company is offering discounted prices for shipping to help alleviate the financial burden.
For many families, the ruling complicates an already challenging medical process. Alabama has limited access to fertility care, with fewer clinics available compared to other states. Additionally, private insurers are not required to cover fertility treatments. Dr. Goldman expressed her deep concern, stating that patients are being held hostage by this legislation.
Caroline Veazey, a 30-year-old patient, was initially dumbfounded by the court ruling but quickly realized the potential costs of moving her six healthy embryos out of her Birmingham clinic. She launched a GoFundMe page, hoping to raise enough funds to cover the expenses. As of Tuesday morning, she had raised about $6,100. However, even if she can raise enough funds, there may be other obstacles such as paperwork alterations required by her clinic before she can transport her embryos elsewhere.
In response to the ruling, Alabama lawmakers are rushing to pass legislation that would protect IVF services in the state. Separate proposals have been drafted in the state House and Senate to prevent fertilized eggs from being recognized as human life. In the meantime, women like Caroline Veazey remain in emotional and financial limbo.
The state’s ruling has left many families devastated and uncertain about their future. The unexpected costs and legal barriers have forced families to turn to crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe for support. Alabama’s limited access to fertility care exacerbates the difficulties these families face. The hope is that lawmakers will swiftly address the issue to protect the rights and well-being of IVF patients in the state.
