IVF is dominating headlines in Alabama and across the country. Here’s what you should know about it

By LAURA UNGAR
AP Science Writer

Alabama lawmakers and Gov. Kay Ivey have agreed to protect in vitro fertilization providers from legal liability. The Alabama Supreme Court ruled last month that frozen embryos can be considered children under state law and touched off immediate backlash. Many doctors and patients are concerned about ripple effects across the nation. IVF involves retrieving a woman’s eggs and combining them with a man’s sperm in a lab dish. A few days after fertilization, one or more embryos are placed in the uterus and healthy embryos that are not transferred may be frozen and stored. Frozen embryos can be used for future pregnancies.