A woman suing Texas over a delayed medically necessary abortion plans to move her frozen embryos out of state, fearing Texas could halt in vitro fertilization. Amanda Zurawski, 36, and her husband, Josh, are relocating their embryos to avoid potential legal hurdles similar to Alabama’s recent ruling granting legal protections to embryos.
Zurawski's decision follows news that three fertility clinics in Alabama paused in vitro fertilization treatments after the state Supreme Court's ruling. She expressed concern over the impact of such rulings on hopeful parents in Alabama and beyond.
Zurawski, a lead plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging Texas' near-total abortion ban, nearly died in 2022 due to complications during pregnancy. After her health deteriorated, doctors performed an abortion, leading to serious infections and sepsis.
Since then, Zurawski and her husband turned to in vitro fertilization and aim to have a baby through a surrogate. However, she worries about Texas laws impacting her journey. The couple is relocating their embryos at significant cost, citing the importance of protecting their family planning process and highlighting the financial challenges IVF already presents.
The Alabama Supreme Court's ruling is viewed as alarming by advocates like Elisabeth Smith, who believe it undermines individuals' ability to make family planning decisions through IVF. This ruling, coupled with the 2022 overruling of Roe v. Wade, has led to abortion bans or severe restrictions in over a dozen states.
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