An Australian woman has given birth to a stranger’s child after a fertility doctor mistakenly implanted the incorrect embryo, according to the apology letter from the clinic owner, who attributed the error to “human error”.
Monash IVF, which accounts for nearly one-quarter of IVF treatments in Australia, revealed that it discovered in February that a woman at its Brisbane clinic had been transferred the wrong embryo, “resulting in the birth of a child”.
The error came to light when the new parents inquired about having their remaining embryos sent to another clinic, at which point the company discovered an extra embryo in storage.
The identities of the parents have not been disclosed, nor has there been any comment on their reaction, other than the situation being described as distressing. The clinic also refrained from specifying when the woman gave birth, only stating that she was informed of the mistake immediately after it was identified.
This incident has shed light on an industry that was largely self-regulated until recently, raising concerns regarding security protocols in IVF clinics.
The facilities are overseen by a combination of Australian industry bodies and state government agencies.
Queensland Health, the governmental body to which Monash reported the incident, mentioned that it only became the regulating authority in September, following the erroneous transfer.
Monash IVF has since engaged a lawyer to conduct an independent investigation and has reported the incident to the Reproductive Technology Accreditation Committee, which is part of the industry group known as the Fertility Society of Australia, as well as to the state body.
“Incidents of this nature are rare,” the Fertility Society stated, emphasizing that “patients place significant trust in fertility services, and the safe handling and identification of embryos is a fundamental responsibility”.
The news adversely affected the company’s shares, as investors, already anxious due to market turbulence, considered the reputational ramifications of what Australian media has described as the country’s first scandal of this kind involving an IVF provider.
Monash IVF’s stock dropped by 35%, marking its steepest decline since it went public more than a decade ago.
In a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange, the company remarked that the incident was distressing but expressed confidence that it would not have a substantial impact on its financial performance.
Monash IVF also operates clinics in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia.
