A woman in Australia unknowingly gave birth to a stranger’s baby after a fertility clinic mistakenly implanted the wrong embryo. The incident took place at Monash IVF in Brisbane, Queensland, and was caused by human error, according to Australian media reports.
Michael Knaap, CEO of Monash IVF, expressed deep regret for the mistake. “On behalf of Monash IVF, I want to say how truly sorry I am for what has happened,” he said. “We are all devastated by this.”
This mishap comes a year after the clinic reached a settlement worth A$56 million (£26.8 million) for destroying viable embryos of hundreds of patients.
Monash IVF spokespersons revealed that the error was discovered in February when the birth parents requested to transfer their remaining frozen embryos to another clinic. It was then that staff realized an embryo from another patient had been mistakenly thawed and implanted in the wrong woman, resulting in the birth of a child.
The clinic has since launched an investigation, with Knaap assuring the public that the incident was likely an isolated case. Monash IVF’s crisis management team acted swiftly once the error was discovered. Within a week, the Brisbane clinic began meeting with affected patients, offering apologies and support.
The clinic has reported the incident to relevant regulators, including the Reproductive Technology Accreditation Committee and the newly established Queensland assisted reproductive technology regulator.
In a separate case last year, Monash IVF reached a settlement in a class action lawsuit involving 700 former patients. The case focused on the destruction of embryos due to inaccurate genetic testing, with around 35% of the embryos incorrectly labeled as abnormal. However, the clinic did not admit liability in that case.
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a costly and complex process in which eggs are removed from a woman’s ovaries, fertilized in a laboratory, and then implanted into the woman’s uterus. IVF is not always successful, and in 2021, 20,690 babies were born through IVF in Australia and New Zealand, according to the University of New South Wales.
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