Woman births child wrongly implanted
An Ohio woman has given birth to a baby boy whom she carried to term
after learning a fertility clinic had mistakenly implanted her with
another couple's embryo.
Carolyn Savage, 40, of Sylvania, Ohio, delivered a 5-pound, 3-ounce boy
at a Toledo hospital after choosing not to abort him though she learned
he was not her son 10 days after embryo implantation.
The boy's genetic parents are Paul and Shannon Morell of Troy, Mich.,
who learned a day after Savage and her husband Sean about the embryo
mix-up by an undisclosed clinic. They were concerned their unborn child
would be aborted after they learned of the mistake, but the Savages
said they never considered aborting the baby or seeking custody,
according to the Associated Press.
"We will be eternally grateful for his guardian angel, Carolyn Savage,
and the support of the entire Savage family," the Morells said in a
statement after the Sept. 24 birth, AP reported.
"There's no way we could possibly repay them," Shannon Morell said,
according to ABC News.
In their own statement, the Savages offered "heartfelt congratulations
to the Morell family on the birth of their son."
A week before the birth, Carolyn Savage said, as reported by ABC,
"We're trying to look at it as a gift for another family that eight
months ago we didn't know."
The mothers have gone to doctors' appointments together and intend to
stay in touch, according to ABC.
The Morells have 2-year-old twin girls conceived by in vitro
fertilization (IVF).
The Savages have sons 15 and 12 years of age as well as a 1-year-old
daughter. Their little girl was conceived through IVF. Because of
previous complications, Carolyn Savage was told this pregnancy with
what was to be her fourth child would need to be her last.
The Savages have an agreement with a surrogate mother to carry and give
birth to a remaining embryo conceived by IVF, ABC reported.
A pro-life bioethicist said the story demonstrates the need for
oversight of fertility clinics.
"This is an entirely unregulated industry, a business," wrote David
Prentice, senior fellow for life sciences at the Family Research
Council. "Maybe it's about time we took a harder look at the whole idea
of cavalierly creating life in the lab."
Contact: Tom Strode
Source: BP
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Date: October 6, 2009
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