Assisted reproduction treatments are increasingly used by couples who want to be parents and do not get it naturally. They are strict procedures in which there is no room for error, but in Holland something very serious could have happened.
The UMC hospital in Utrecht has launched an investigation to clarify possible confusion in its assisted reproduction program. It is believed that due to a "human error" about a hundred women with sperm that is not from their partner could have been inseminated.
A "human error"
At first it was suspected that 26 couples were affected But yesterday it was learned that the ruling also affects four medical centers in the region (Amersfoort, Niewegein, Arnhem and Utrecht diakonessen) that use the laboratories of the main hospital, so another 84 women they could have been inseminated with the sperm of the wrong man.
In vitro fertilization (IVF) to these couples took place between April 2015 and November 2016, which means that women may be pregnant or have already had a child of a stranger. The hospital announced in a statement that it offers them to perform a DNA test to check.
In addition, 13 embryos remain frozen, which also suspects the risk that they have not been fertilized with the corresponding wait. In these cases, parents are offered to decide whether to proceed with the process or try again.
The hospital acknowledges that there has been a procedural failure. A tool that had been previously used for other cases was used, according to El Mundo. "The sperm from a previous treatment was still in the tool and may have ended in the fertilization of the ovules in the following cases," although he says "that is unlikely" That all these couples are victims of this error.
And the psychological cost?
What if it is effectively shown that babies already born or those who are on the way are not children of the father they are supposed to be? There are no apologies or money in the world that can repair that damage.
Already quite expensive and stressful it is for a couple to undergo an assisted reproduction treatment, with the uncertainties, fears, anxiety they face, as above to add the serious circumstance that finally achieved, the son you wanted so much is not from the father you expect.
Being in the shoes of these couples at this time must be very hard. We will follow the case closely to see if the error is confirmed and how many have actually been the affected partners. Hopefully the least possible, because really such an error is very serious.
