The push for embryo rights worries IVF patients and doctors in the Midwest

Her joy quickly turned to frustration when a month later, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that embryos created through IVF should be considered children.

Brock felt for the women who paused their IVF cycles during the initial confusion in the wake of the ruling, but it also made her concerned about the couple’s remaining embryo. They want a second child.

At the time, several Midwestern states, including Iowa, Indiana, Kansas and Missouri, were considering bills that could impact families seeking IVF. The bills would give some rights to embryos and fetuses that are generally ascribed to a person.

“I remember I just started crying, and I was so angry,” she said.