Embryo Mixup: Giving Birth to Another Woman's Child

An Ohio woman who was implanted with the wrong embryo gave birth to a baby boy on Saturday and gave the baby over to its biological parents.

Carolyn Savage, of Slyvania, Ohio, says that a fertility clinic transfered the wrong embryo to her. Instead, that embryo belonged to Paul and Shannon Morell of Detroit miles away.

"The Savages say a fertility clinic outside Ohio transferred the wrong frozen embryo in February. Ten days later, they got a call from a doctor at the clinic saying Savage was pregnant with someone else's child." (Los Angeles Times)

The couple did not know each other prior to this incident. The Morells actually thought that Mrs. Savage would terminate the pregnancy. However, the Savages said that they never considered terminating the pregnancy because it was not their child. Instead they said they knew that they were going to keep it from the beginning.

In a statement after the birth of the baby, the Savages said, "We would like to offer our heartfelt congratulations to the Morell family on the birth of their son...we wish Paul, Shannon, their twin girls and their new baby boy the best, as they move forward with their lives together." (CNN) 

The Savages have reported that they are thinking about suing the clinic, in a CNN interview Wednesday.

The baby boy was born last Thursday at 5 pounds and 3 ounces at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center in Toledo, Ohio.