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Louisiana fertility clinics concerned by Alabama ruling on frozen embryos

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Louisiana fertility clinics concerned by Alabama ruling on frozen embryos


NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Louisiana in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment clinics are concerned by the implications of a new Alabama Supreme Court ruling that said frozen embryos are children.

Medical experts in Louisiana fear a similar ruling could happen here.

Reproductive endocrinologist and fertility expert Dr. Nicole Ulrich of Audubon Fertility said she’s disappointed by the Alabama decision.

“A feeling of dismay. Shock and dismay, honestly. It’s very upsetting,” Ulrich said.

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She said a law that bestows personhood to embryos can pose significant challenges to IVF and fertility treatments.

“It can be difficult if an embryo is considered a person in that context, because we know as a part of IVF not every embryo is going to result in a pregnancy,” Ulrich said. “We’re trying to get as many eggs to create as many embryos to have as many chances as we can.”

Ulrich said that if 10 mature eggs are fertilized, about 80 percent generally fertilize normally. Of those, about half will grow out to the stage of embryo development that would allow for an attempt at pregnancy.

“We are the sort of caretakers of the eggs and embryos as they’re growing and moving towards the point where they could potentially create a pregnancy,” she said. “And if something happens during that process that would naturally occur as part of IVF, you could be held liable (under the Alabama definition).”

That means providers in Alabama could potentially be found liable in a wrongful death lawsuit for mistakenly destroying frozen embryos, which are afforded the same protection as babies under the Wrongful Death of a Minor Act.

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Fox 8 legal analyst Joe Raspanti said, “Every state is its own separate entity. So how (the Alabama ruling) directly impacts a state? Maybe not much. But there are going to be a lot more indirect implications to Louisiana and maybe countrywide by this ruling in Alabama.”

Ulrich said, “Alabama is saying it’s a child. It’s a person. Here, (embryos) are juridical people, but we still have the same restriction where we can’t discard embryos that are considered ‘viable’ by the law, although that definition is very broad.”

Ulrich said the options are storing embryos indefinitely, paying for storage every year, donating to another couple or moving them to a different state and discarding of them there, which is often what patients in Louisiana do.

Raspanti said there’s a lot to consider.

“If they implant one or two and the person gets pregnant, what do they do with those other embryos? Can the parents say to destroy them? I don’t know about that. Can they waive certain rights of that embryo? I don’t know about that. These are the dominos that may be falling down the line, based upon this type of ruling,” Raspanti said.

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Ulrich said if something similar were to be handed down in Louisiana, it would make her practice far too expensive and recruitment within her profession here very challenging.

“The risk is then so high, IVF is not something that I think many physicians and embryologists potentially even try to practice, because it would be so risky,” Ulrich said.

She said that between 1-in-6 and 1-in-8 couples experience infertility, and that most recent data shows 1 percent of babies born in Louisiana were conceived by IVF, compared to 2 percent nationally.

Ulrich said patients could attempt IVF by fertilizing one egg at a time. However, she said each attempt would take a physical, emotional and financial toll on hopeful parents.

“Without coverage, paying out of pocket, if the cost goes up in response to a law like this or a ruling like this, it’s going to cut a lot of people out of the group that could potentially utilize this treatment and make a lot of couples or individuals end up where they can’t conceive at all and they can’t build their families,” Ulrich said.

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The Archdiocese of New Orleans responded to Fox 8′s request for comment by issuing a statement that said, “All children, regardless of the circumstances of their conception and birth, are gifts from God who should be loved, cherished and cared for. Infertility is a challenging and sensitive issue for couples. The Catholic Church wants to walk with couples facing infertility and seeks to provide morally acceptable resources for couples seeking to become parents.

“The destruction of human embryos has always been of concern and one reason the Catholic Church opposes IVF. The Catholic Church believes that human life begins at conception and extends to natural death. Let us pray that our society may grow in respect for the dignity of all life and work to support and promote morally acceptable ways to help couples facing infertility achieve their dream of parenthood.”

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SWAC suspends 16 players from Jackson State-Alabama State melee, fines both schools

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SWAC suspends 16 players from Jackson State-Alabama State melee, fines both schools


BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Southwestern Athletic Conference has issued one-game suspensions to a total of 16 Jackson State and Alabama State players over a postgame altercation and fined both schools.

The league announced on Monday that seven Jackson State players and nine Alabama State players have been suspended for the next game for the incident after Saturday’s game in Montgomery. Both schools were fined $25,000.

Alabama State hosts Prairie View A&M on Saturday, while the Tigers visit Alcorn State.

Dr. Jason Cable, Alabama State’s vice president and athletic director, announced that three of the players would be suspended for the season-ending game against Tuskegee on Thanksgiving Day as well. The suspended players were not named.

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Players engaged in shoving after the game and some punches were thrown.

“Acts of unsportsmanlike conduct have zero place in the sports of intercollegiate athletics and within the Southwestern Athletic Conference and we are extremely disappointed to have had consecutive weeks of football competition negatively impacted by these unfortunate occurrences,” SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland said.

“We will continue to work with our membership to implement the necessary policies and procedures to deter this type of behavior. We will also continue to enforce a zero-tolerance policy for all acts deemed to be unsportsmanlike and contrary to the high standard of good sportsmanship we expect from all individuals associated with the athletics programs within our league.”

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What happened the last time Oklahoma Sooners played the Alabama Crimson Tide?

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What happened the last time Oklahoma Sooners played the Alabama Crimson Tide?


There isn’t a much better helmet matchup in college football than the Oklahoma Sooners and the Alabama Crimson Tide. Two of the top five programs in the history of college football are now in the same conference, and they’ll meet for just the seventh time ever on Saturday.

Two teams used to winning, and winning a lot are on opposite trajectories right now. OU started 4-1, but they are now just 5-5 with two games left. Bama lost to Vanderbilt and Tennessee on the road earlier this season, but they’ve righted the ship with some key wins over the last few weeks against Missouri and LSU.

The all-time series between the two teams sits at 3-2-1 in favor of the Sooners. They first met in the Orange Bowl at the conclusion of the 1962 season. Alabama shut out Oklahoma that day, en route to a 17-0 victory. At the end of the 1970 season, they faced off in the Bluebonnet Bowl, with the game ending in a 24-24 tie.

There have been three matchups in the 21st century, beginning with a home game for the Sooners in 2002. Oklahoma won 37-27, highlighted by a couple of remarkable runs by Renaldo Works and a fumble return for a touchdown to seal the deal by Eric Bassey.

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The next year, the teams met in Tuscaloosa, with OU winning, this time by a score of 20-13. Of course, the 2003 Sooners would end up in the BCS National Championship Game that year.

Eventual Heisman Trophy winner Jason White (who was lost to a season-ending injury in the previous year’s game) hit Brandon Jones for a 47-yard touchdown in the third quarter on the game’s most series of plays. That throw immediately followed a gutsy successful fake punt call by Bob Stoops deep in his own territory.

But perhaps the matchup Sooner fans remember the most fondly happened in the Sugar Bowl after the 2013 season. The two-time defending national champion Crimson Tide were heavy favorites that night in New Orleans, but Oklahoma pulled off a huge 45-31 upset win.

Quarterback Trevor Knight had the finest game of his career, throwing for 348 yards and four touchdowns against the vaunted Tide defense. OU’s defense harassed Bama QB A.J. McCarron all night, with Eric Striker and Geneo Grissom teaming up for a scoop and score touchdown to end a potential game-tying drive. It was one of the best wins of the late-Stoops era in Norman, as the Sooners took down the No. 3 team in the country on a truly magical and unforgettable night.

However, Alabama currently has bragging rights in this series, as the two programs met in the 2018 College Football Playoff Orange Bowl semifinal six years ago. Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray and runner-up Tua Tagovailoa were primed for an offensive shootout in Miami, as Lincoln Riley and Nick Saban met for the first time.

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Unfortunately for Oklahoma, this game was essentially over thirteen and a half minutes in, as Alabama rolled to a 21-0 lead, stifling Murray in the process. It was 28-0 Bama before the Sooners finally scored in the second quarter, and the Crimson Tide kept OU at arms length for the rest of the night. Alabama won 45-34, showing off a complete, star-studded team.

Murray and the Oklahoma offense got the Sooners as close as 11 points on multiple occasions, but OU didn’t have a good enough defense to handle Tagovailoa and an excellent Tide offense. Riley was outcoached by Saban, who knew that Oklahoma couldn’t stop his team.

It wasn’t Murray’s finest hour in his final collegiate game before being selected No. 1 overall in the next April’s NFL Draft. Riley would coach the Sooners for three more seasons before bolting to USC. Tagovailoa, Saban and the Crimson Tide were defeated by Clemson in the national championship game, as Brent Venables’ defense put on a clinic against one of the best offenses in college football.

As the Sooners and the Crimson Tide prepare to meet again, Oklahoma is looking to get their fourth win in the series and improve to 4-1 this century. A performance like Knight’s at the quarterback position, coupled with a vintage 2018 Clemson performance from Alley and the defense would go a long way towards getting Oklahoma to bowl eligibility.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @AaronGelvin.

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Alabama NFL roundup: Jameson Williams’ big game includes typical touchdown for Detroit Lions

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Alabama NFL roundup: Jameson Williams’ big game includes typical touchdown for Detroit Lions


Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff dialed up another long-distance connection with wide receiver Jameson Williams on Sunday, and it sent the former Alabama All-American to a career game.

Williamson had four receptions for 124 yards and one touchdown and a 2-yard game on a rushing attempt in the Lions’ 52-6 rout of the Jacksonville Jagaurs.

Williams caught a 64-yard touchdown pass from Goff as Detroit took a 35-6 lead with 12:55 left in the third quarter.

Williams became the third player in the NFL’s AFC/NFC era to have each of his first seven touchdown receptions cover at least 30 yards. Williams’ other TD receptions have covered 32, 37, 41, 45, 52 and 70 yards.

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The two players who preceded Williams in achieving the feat were the New England Patriots’ Stanley Morgan in 1977-78 and Kansas City Chiefs’ J.J. Birden in 1990-92.

Williams posted the second 100-yard receiving game of his career. He had five receptions for 121 yards and one touchdown in a 26-20 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 8.

Williams was among the 42 former Alabama players who got on the field on the 11th Sunday of the NFL’s 105th season.

Five other former Alabama players were involved in the Jacksonville-Detroit game:

  • Terrion Arnold started at cornerback for the Lions. Arnold made two tackles.
  • Brian Branch started at safety for the Lions. Branch made seven tackles.
  • Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 69 yards and one touchdown on 11 carries and had a 54-yard reception. Gibbs scored on a 1-yard run as Detroit took a 21-3 lead with 12:26 left in the first half. Gibbs surpassed 1,000 yards from scrimmage for the 2024 season during the game. With a 23-yard run in the second quarter, Gibbs became the first Lions player to have a rushing attempt that gained at least 15 yards in nine consecutive games since Barry Sanders in 1998.

ANOTHER ALABAMA RUNNING BACK THE DALLAS COWBOYS MISSED ON

  • Mac Jones started at quarterback for the Jaguars. Jones completed 17-of-29 passes for 138 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.

MAC JONES AFTER JAGUARS’ 46-POINT LOSS: ‘IT WASN’T OUR DAY’

  • Jaguars running back Keilan Robinson is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

In the other Sunday games:

Green Bay Packers 20, Chicago Bears 19

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  • Josh Jacobs started at running back for the Packers. Jacobs ran for 76 yards and one touchdown on 18 carries and caught four passes for 58 yards. Jacobs scored the 50th rushing touchdown of his NFL career on a 7-yard run as Green Bay took a 14-13 lead with 6:34 left in the third quarter.
  • Xavier McKinney started at safety for the Packers. McKinney shared the team lead with nine tackles.

Miami Dolphins 34, Las Vegas Raiders 19

  • Dolphins guard Lester Cotton (Central-Tuscaloosa) did not record any stats.
  • Dolphins defensive tackle Da’Shawn Hand did not record any stats.
  • Tua Tagovailoa started at quarterback for the Dolphins. Tagovailoa completed 28-of-36 passes for 288 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Tagovailoa threw touchdowns passes of 1 yard with 6:47 left in the first quarter and 57 yards with 3:19 left in the game to tight end Jonnu Smith and 8 yards to wide receiver Tyreek Hill with 4:13 remaining in the third quarter.

TUA TAGOVAILOA, DOLPHINS GIVE PUNTER THE DAY OFF

  • Jaylen Waddle started at wide receiver for the Dolphins. Waddle had two receptions for 37 yards.

Los Angeles Rams 28, New England Patriots 22

  • Patriots wide receiver Javon Baker had kickoff returns of 46 and 16 yards.
  • Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore made three tackles in his 2024 debut. Barmore was hospitalized in July because of blood clots, and he did not practice with his teammates this season until Thursday.
  • Anfernee Jennings (Dadeville) started at outside linebacker for the Patriots. Jennings made two tackles and registered one quarterback hit.

New Orleans Saints 35, Cleveland Browns 14

  • Browns cornerback Tony Brown is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
  • Browns guard Javion Cohen (Central-Phenix City) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
  • Browns running back Jerome Ford gained 10 yards on five rushing attempts and returned two kickoffs for 37 yards.
  • Jerry Jeudy started at wide receiver for the Browns. Jeudy had six receptions for 142 yards and one touchdown. Jeudy posted the second-highest single-game receiving total in his career as he scored on an 89-yard pass from quarterback Jameis Winston with 1:52 left in the first quarter.

JERRY JEUDY PUTS HIS NAME ON ALABAMA’S LONG-DISTANCE NFL TOUCHDOWN LIST AGAIN

  • Browns tight end Cameron Latu is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
  • Ga’Quincy “Kool-Aid” McKinstry (Pinson Valley) started at right cornerback for Saints. McKinstry made three tackles as he returned from a two-game injury absence.
  • Dalvin Tomlinson started at defensive tackle for the Browns. Tomlinson made two tackles.
  • Browns offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. was designated as a game-day inactive.

Indianapolis Colts 28, New York Jets 27

  • Colts defensive end Raekwon Davis made two tackles.
  • Colts safety Ronnie Harrison did not record any stats.
  • Colts center Ryan Kelly is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
  • Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley (Theodore) was designated as a game-day inactive. A neck injury sidelined Mosley for the fourth game in a row.
  • Quinnen Williams (Wenonah) started at defensive tackle for the Jets. Williams made a season-high seven tackles, recorded one sack, had two tackles for loss and registered three quarterback hits.

Pittsburgh Steelers 18, Baltimore Ravens 16

  • Ravens cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (St. Paul’s Episcopal) did not record any stats.
  • Ravens guard Darrian Dalcourt is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
  • Minkah Fitzpatrick started at free safety for the Steelers. Fitzpatrick made seven tackles.
  • Najee Harris started at running back for the Steelers. Harris ran for 63 yards on 18 carries and caught four passes for 30 yards.
  • Derrick Henry started at running back for the Ravens. Henry ran for 65 yards and one touchdown on 13 carries. Henry scored on a 1-yard run as Baltimore took a 7-6 lead with 1:16 left in the first half. Henry became the fourth player in the NFL’s Super Bowl era to score a touchdown in each of his first 11 games in a season, joining O.J. Simpson in 1975, Jerry Rice in 1987 and John Riggins in 1983 in achieving that feat. Henry also lost a fumble on the second snap of the game.
  • Marlon Humphrey (Hoover) started at cornerback for the Ravens. Humphrey made three tackles, recorded one tackle for loss and intercepted one pass. Humphrey picked off Pittsburgh quarterback Russell Wilson in the end zone with the Steelers leading 15-10 with 9:23 to play.
  • Ravens safety Eddie Jackson was designated as a game-day inactive. Baltimore said Jackson’s absence was not injury-related.

Minnesota Vikings 23, Tennessee Titans 13

  • J.C. Latham started at left offensive tackle for the Titans.
  • Calvin Ridley started at wide receiver for the Titans. Ridley had four receptions for 58 yards.
  • Cam Robinson started at left offensive tackle for the Vikings.
  • Vikings kicker Will Reichard (Hoover) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
  • Vikings outside linebacker Dallas Turner did not record any stats.

Denver Broncos 38, Atlanta Falcons 6

  • Falcons inside linebacker Rashaan Evans (Auburn High) did not record any stats.
  • Falcons safety DeMarcco Hellams is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
  • Falcons running back Jase McClellan ran for 15 yards on eight carries.
  • Broncos linebacker Drew Sanders is on the physically-unable-to-perform list and not eligible to play.
  • Patrick Surtain II started at left cornerback for the Broncos. Surtain made one tackle and broke up one pass.
  • Broncos cornerback Levi Wallace made one tackle.

Seattle Seahawks 20, San Francisco 49ers 17

  • Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe made one tackle.
  • Jarran Reed started at defensive end for the Seahawks. Reed made one tackle and registered one quarterback hit.

Buffalo Bills 30, Kansas City Chiefs 21

  • Amari Cooper started at wide receiver for the Bills. Cooper returned from a two-game absence because of a wrist injury to catch two passes for 55 yards.
  • Bills safety Kareem Jackson is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
  • Bills wide receiver Tyrell Shavers in on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
  • Chiefs tight end Irv Smith Jr. is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

Los Angeles Chargers 34, Cincinnati Bengals 27

  • Bengals safety Jordan Battle made two tackles.
  • Bradley Bozeman (Handley) started at center for the Chargers.
  • Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton had an 8-yard reception and a 36-yard kickoff return.
  • Chargers defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe did not record any stats.
  • Chargers offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
  • Chargers punter JK Scott averaged 46.7 yards on six punts, with a 41.0-yard net. Scott had a 53-yard punt returned 7 yards to the Cincinnati 36-yard line, a 58-yarder returned 17 yards to the Cincinnati 26, a 32-yarder out of bounds at the 50, a 39-yarder for a fair catch at the Cincinnati 14, a 55-yarder returned 10 yards to the Cincinnati 21 and a 43-yarder for a fair catch at the Cincinnati 16.

Week 11 started on Thursday night, when the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Washington Commanders 26-18.

EAGLES QB JALEN HURTS: ‘IT TAKES WHAT IT TAKES, REGARDLESS OF HOW IT LOOKS’

Week 11 concludes on Monday, when the Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys square off at 7:15 p.m. CDT at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. ABC and ESPN will televise the game.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.





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