Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey was hospitalized Tuesday in Montgomery after undergoing what her office described as a minor procedure to remove fluid that was pressing on her lung, according to a statement from her spokeswoman. Her office said Ivey is 81 and will be monitored at Baptist Medical Center South “in the coming days” out of an abundance of caution.
The statement from spokeswoman Gina Maiola said the fluid was discovered after Ivey went to her doctor because she was feeling discomfort in her left side and had recently experienced some shortness of breath. Her office said the procedure was not emergent, but that Ivey wanted it completed as soon as possible so she could recover quickly.
Maiola said Ivey wanted to get back to “100%” in time to “wrap up the 2026 Regular Session,” which her office said is in its final days. The office did not specify how long she would remain hospitalized or how long her recovery would take.
Maiola said, “We are in touch with Governor Ivey, and she says she is determined to make a very speedy and full recovery.” The statement did not provide additional medical details.
Ivey previously disclosed in 2019 that she was undergoing radiation for lung cancer and described it as a small localized spot. In 2020, her office said scans indicated the treatment was successful and that she was free of disease.