DH just sent me this article - IUI sperm mix-up

[changedname]

www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/01/31/fertility_expert_dr_norman_barwin_admits_impregnating_women_with_the_wrong_sperm.html

At least four women gave birth to babies who were not the biological spawn of their husbands or designated sperm provider, in the kind of sci-fi error that is the stuff of medical nightmare.

Patient B had gone to Barwin in late 2006 with her sister (Patient C), who had agreed to act as a surrogate birth mother, using sperm from Patient B’s husband. Later DNA testing proved the resulting child had been fathered by neither of the sisters’ spouses.

Patient D is the mother of R. She went to Barwin in either 1985 or 1986 seeking to be artificially inseminated with husband’s sperm, frozen prior to receiving cancer treatment.

“Our son has no medical history on his father’s side,” she wrote. “I was inseminated with unknown sperm. This has impacted me with a lot of mixed feelings.

“It’s like there are two stories. Number 1 is having a wonderful son in our lives. Number 2, I feel violated. We have strong family values and we’re dealing with this but it does not take away that it is always there.”

This reminds me of that "sperminator" guy  - Cecil |Jacobson

[KaraOrNot]

"For his sloppiness, Barwin received a formal reprimand, had his license suspended for two months and was ordered to pay costs to the College — $3,650 — for the hearing that was held in downtown Toronto".



"The cases on which the college ruled relate to pregnancies from 2004, 2006/07 and 1985/86. In these cases, the mothers discovered the insemination blunder only after subsequent DNA testing. It’s unclear whether yet other switched-at-insemination lapses occurred at Barwin’s clinic and were never discovered or reported. He voluntarily shuttered the insemination part of his practice a year ago".



“I regret that I’ve caused these patients any difficulties. My interest was always to do the best for them.”

[changedname]

Unbelievable! I do wonder what made the women get DNA testing in the first place. They must have been suspicious?

[Cheesecake]

Oh my goodness, that's just scary creepy, sad shit right there. Makes me super nervous.

I know a number of years ago there was a tv show here following a number of couples TTC, and one of them was getting IUI and they were called back a week after or so because the lab tech realized that he had been working on 2 guy's sperm and someone had walked into his lab to ask something and a couple days later he suddenly had the feeling that with the interruption and distraction he couldn't 100% guarantee he did everything right.
Since he wasn't 100% sure both couples were called back and the women had to get something to prevent implantation in case they had gotten pregnant. It was super sad, because they were pretty sure it had gone correctly, but the hospital didn't want to take the chance.

I know the rules have since changed here and lab techs can only have the sperm of 1 guy in the lab at any given time - first label and put that away before the next guy's stuff comes in.

Still, scary that this can happen!

[degal99]

Wow! I agree @icedgems though. There must have been some suspicion somewhere to get DNA testing done.