A woman who sought treatment from a prominent Connecticut fertility clinic received embryos belonging to a woman with the same last name. The blunder occurred in April 2009 at the Center for Advanced Reproductive Services at the University of Connecticut Health Center. It will pay a US$3,000 fine for the mix-up.

The lab technician apparently checked only the last name on the container of embryos and removed the wrong ones from frozen storage. The woman who received the embryos was informed of the error within an hour and used a “morning after pill” to terminate the pregnancy. The embryos belonged to a woman who had been out of treatment since 2006, but had continued to store them at the centre. She was also informed of the error.

The centre said that this incident was the first of its kind in its 24-year history. “Thousands of babies have been born via The Center’s efforts without issue - and more than three million babies have been born through IVF world wide - and mix ups remain exceedingly rare. Nevertheless, however uncommon they may be, each one is important and emotionally difficult for patients and centers alike.”

The centre has agreed to have a consultant review its laboratory policies and procedures. It will be required to provide new training for employees on policies and procedures on securing frozen embryos and verifying their ownership. ~ NBC Connecticut, Jun 28