Protecting fertility clinics against sperm-related fraud: a call to action

Excerpt

In the treatment of infertility, patients commonly undergo artificial intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF). As these procedures involve the manipulation of gametes outside of the body, cases of unintended parentage have been reported. These cases have been published in non-medical and medical journals [1, 2], and the fear of gametes mix-up is a serious concern. These cases can be complicated by emotional harm, legal actions, and custody battles [1]. Although most often reported as the consequences of medical error, there may be other scenarios leading to genetic parentage of different individuals than those seeking care. In hopes of promoting procedural improvements, this article aims to point out possible scenarios which have not been previously reported, but through which fertility clinics are open to malpractice litigation. …