A New York couple is suing a California-based fertility clinic after the woman, who tried to conceive through in vitro fertilization (IVF), gave birth to someone else's babies.
The couple filed the federal lawsuit in the Eastern District of New York last week, claiming the clinic that refers to itself as "the mecca of reproductive medicine," used embryos from two other couples who had also received treatment there. They reportedly spent over $100,000 at CHA Fertility in their efforts to have children, with the medication needed for IVF, laboratory fees, travel, and other miscellaneous costs.
According to court documents, after the woman gave birth on March 30 to two boys who were not of Asian descent, the couple, “was shocked to see that the babies they were told were formed using both of their genetic material did not appear to be.”
They then had to relinquish custody of the two children after a DNA test confirmed the children were not related to the couple. Their names have only been listed as AP and YZ to reduce the “embarrassment and humiliation” caused by the entire situation, the suit says.
Prior to delivering the children on March 30, the couple suspected that something was faulty. According to BBC, a scan revealed that the couple was expecting two boys, despite doctors indicating they had not used male embryos during the IVF.
The couple is suing the clinic, its doctors, and two men listed as the co-founders for medical malpractice and intentional infliction of emotional distress. According to NBC, CHA Fertility has yet to respond to a request for comment.
