COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump said Friday that he would “strongly support the availability of IVF” and called on lawmakers in Alabama to preserve access to the procedure. It was his first comments after an Alabama Supreme Court ruling that led some providers to suspend in vitro fertilization treatments and has divided many Republicans nationally over the issue.

Trump, in a post on his Truth Social network, said: “Under my leadership, the Republican Party will always support the creation of strong, thriving, healthy American families. We want to make it easier for mothers and fathers to have babies, not harder!”

The comments come after a ruling by the all-Republican Alabama Supreme Court that frozen embryos can be considered children under state law. Since then, several clinics in the state have announced pauses on IVF services.

As president, Trump nominated three of the Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade, paving the way for dramatic restrictions in access to abortion across the country.

Some anti-abortion advocates have suggested courts should go further to rule embryos are children, which would sharply ramp up restrictions on treatments like IVF.

Jill Colvin, The Associated Press