A medical institution in the Netherlands have launched an investigation after finding out that 26 women’s eggs may have been fertilized by the wrong sperm. The University Medical Center in Utrecht said that between April 2015 and November 2016, a procedural error occurred. The error happened during the in-vitro fertilization.
The university released a statement saying that during fertilization, sperm cells from one treatment couple may have ended up with the egg cells of 26 other couples. The statement continued to say there was a chance that the egg cells were fertilized by sperm that was not from the intended father.
In other words, one man may have fathered up to 26 children to strangers. Half of the women who received the treatment have already given birth or are currently pregnant.
As of now, it’s not clear what the error was. The center has stopped performing treatments, and other treatments have been reduced. Only treatments that are completely reliable will resume over the next few weeks.
All of the couples affected by the incident were contacted and they will soon meet with doctors. They will discuss their personal situation. Until they meet with their doctors, they can call a phone number that has been set up to ask questions regarding the incident.
