Woman suing Texas over its abortion ban plans to move her embryos out of state

A woman who is suing Texas after she said she nearly died when doctors delayed giving her a medically necessary abortion tells NBC News exclusively that she plans to move her frozen embryos out of the state for fear Texas could stop providing in vitro fertilization.

The move by Amanda Zurawski and her husband, Josh, follows news that at least three fertility clinics in Alabama have paused in vitro fertilization treatments following a ruling by the state Supreme Court that found embryos are people who have the same legal protections as children — and that people can be held liable for destroying them.

Zurawski, 36, said on Thursday that she and her husband signed papers to move their embryos out of the state because she fears Texas could follow Alabama’s lead and block her from starting the family she’s spent years trying to build.

“I don’t want them in a state where a similar ruling could very likely take place,” she said of her embryos. “Everything about IVF is very anxiety-inducing. It’s very scary. It’s very difficult and rulings like this one in Alabama are just adding another layer of fear and anxiety.”

She added that she is concerned about the effects the ruling will have for patients in Alabama.

“My heart is broken for every hopeful parent in the state of Alabama and beyond because this isn’t going to stop in Alabama. This is going to have a snowball effect,” she said.

Zurawski is one of the lead plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Texas that is challenging the state’s near-total abortion ban and seeking to make the state allow doctors more discretion to intervene during medical complications. Zurawski said she nearly died in August 2022 after doctors refused to give her an abortion when she suffered catastrophic