Fertility services, including treatment for infertility, often involves many steps, and families depend on clinics to guide them through this complex process. However, if clinics mishandle client samples by mislabeling them, those mistakes can have a long-term impact on families. How might a clinic’s mislabeling impact families undergoing fertility services?
A clinic may use the wrong biological samples.
If a clinic mislabels a parent’s egg or semen, that mishandling of their material can lead to the implantation of the wrong sperm in invitro fertilization or artificial insemination. For parents who chose to use their own egg and sperm, this can lead to a child being related to only one of their parents.
In cases where a couple goes through the process of selecting a donor, this mislabeling means that the embryos that the clinic fertilizes will not reflect that personal and important choice.
A clinic may implant the wrong embryo.
Even if the clinic brings together the intended egg and sperm, a clinic might implant the incorrect embryo if those materials were mislabeled. Not only will a couple receive the wrong embryo in these cases, but the clinic could also implant their embryo in another patient. These mistakes can cause significant emotional trauma for families.
Couples with concerns about a clinic’s mishandling of their fertility services should consider their legal options. While these errors can put couples under significant emotional strain, it is possible to hold clinics responsible for the impact of their mistakes.