A woman in Australia has unknowingly given birth to another couple’s baby after a fertility clinic accidentally implanted the wrong embryos into her.
The mix-up occurred at Monash IVF in Brisbane, Queensland, and has been attributed to human error.
“On behalf of Monash IVF, I want to say how truly sorry I am for what has happened,” said CEO Michael Knaap, adding that the entire clinic was “devastated” by the mistake.
This incident follows a previous controversy last year when Monash IVF paid a A$56 million (£26.8 million) settlement to hundreds of patients whose embryos were destroyed due to faulty procedures.
According to a spokesperson for the clinic, the issue came to light in February when the birth parents requested to transfer their remaining frozen embryos to another clinic.
Upon review, it was discovered that an additional embryo, not belonging to the couple, remained in storage.
Monash IVF confirmed that an embryo from a different patient had been mistakenly thawed and implanted into the wrong woman, leading to the birth of a child.
The clinic has launched an investigation into the incident, which has also been reported to regulatory bodies. Mr. Knaap assured the public that the mix-up is believed to be an isolated case.
In 2021, over 20,000 babies were born as a result of IVF in Australia and New Zealand, according to the University of New South Wales.
IVF, which involves fertilizing eggs outside the body before implanting the embryos into the uterus, is a costly and often unsuccessful procedure.
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