BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Governor Kay Ivey signed Senate Bill 159 into law which would grant immunity to IVF providers in the wake of the Alabama Supreme Courts.

This led to a number of IVF clinics in central Alabama to pause treatment out of fear of criminal prosecution.

Last month, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled embryos and frozen fetuses as children with legal protections, following a lawsuit where frozen embryos were destroyed.

This ruling caused several clinics, including UAB, to pause treatments out of fear of criminal prosecution.

According to Attorney Gianna Mandich with Southern Med Law, this bill eases the concerns of the IVF providers but may be detrimental to patients.

Mandich say’s under Senate Bill 159 providers cannot be held legally liable if a patient’s embryo is damaged or dies during the process, which makes it hard for the patients to sue in the case that this does happen.

“These parents have lost any cause of action in terms of their embryos so that’s very scary,” said Mandich. “It’s also a little bit of a pandora’s box. Because when you look at this, you say ok well are cardiovascular patients going to say we’re going to stop operating unless you give us complete civil immunity? Anesthesiologist? This has a trickle-down effect.”

Mandich say’s though this law is in place now, lawmakers may have to come up with another solution to protect all parties in the long run.