Embryo Mix-Up Stuns Parents in Louisiana

[Louisiana1976]

(CBS/ AP) A suburban New Orleans hospital has suspended operations at its in-vitro fertilization center due to concerns that dozens of frozen embryos were mislabeled.

Ochsner Health System spokeswoman Amiee Goforth said Friday that hospital officials have no reason to suspect embryos were implanted in the wrong mother.

But the hospital is contacting around 100 couples that may have been affected by the apparent labeling mix-up at the Elmwood-based in-vitro fertilization center.

According to Ochsner officials, the problem occurred at the point in the IVF process when embryos that are to be stored for later use are placed in freezers filled with liquid nitrogen, reports CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann. They are supposed to be bar coded, color coded, and labeled so nothing can go wrong.

"There are embryos that appear to be mislabeled or others cannot be accounted for," said Chief Medical Officer Joseph Bisordi.

Ochsner admits some of the patients they talked to have requested genetic testing to be sure. Doctors say that will be done at Ochsner's expense.

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more...http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/09/25/national/main5340450.shtml?tag=stack

[Chemisse]

1. So what will the parent do if they got the wrong embryo?

Send the baby back?

Perhaps it would be better not to know.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. The prolifers had better think this one through. n/t