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ome fertility clinics and shipping services plan to hold off on sending frozen embryos from Alabama to other states as they weigh the legal implications of an Alabama court ruling that says embryos created through in vitro fertilization are children. Many doctors and patients are confused about which elements of fertility treatment are restricted, following the Alabama Supreme Court decision last week, and at least three Alabama providers have paused IVF services. Some IVF patients have considered moving their embryos out of the state to continue the process elsewhere, only to learn that the option isn't available to them right now. RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association announced Friday that nationwide embryo shipping services have indicated that they will stop transporting embryos to and from Alabama. "This slight window of hope for Alabamans currently undergoing IVF to continue their family-building treatment in other states just slammed shut," RESOLVE CEO Barbara Collura said in a statement. At least two IVF providers in Alabama told NBC News they have paused shipping of embryos, as well. The University of Alabama at Birmingham, which suspended IVF services this week, said Thursday that it is not sending embryos to new locations for now. “We understand some patients wish to transport their embryos to another facility,” UAB said in a statement. “Companies that transport embryos are also assessing the risks associated with the Alabama Supreme Court ruling, and we are working to identify a company that is able and willing as soon as possible. It is our goal to help patients who are interested in this option do so safely, but — at this time — there are no options available.” Meghan Cole, a patient at Alabama Fertility in Birmingham, was expecting her embryo to be implanted in a surrogate Friday (Cole has a blood disorder that prevents her from safely carrying a pregnancy). But the appointment was canceled Wednesday night after the clinic decided to pause IVF services. She inquired about transferring her embryos to an out-of-state facility, but a doctor told her that the practice was worried it would be liable for any potential damage to the embryos during transit, she said. “Now, even if I wanted to get them out of the state and do a transfer in another state or where my surrogate lives, I can’t,” Cole said. “I’m just kind of stuck until something changes down here, which who knows how long that’s going to take?” Alabama Fertility did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Dr. Brett Davenport, a reproductive endocrinologist at Fertility Institute of North Alabama, said that even though his practice is continuing IVF services, it isn't shipping embryos, either.