Culture

Implanted with the Wrong Embryo

The video above narrates a heart-wrenching story about a wife from Ohio who had another couple’s embryo implanted in her uterus by mistake. Using the in vitro Fertilization technique (IVF), doctors somehow implanted the wrong embryo. Now the woman is pregnant with someone else’s baby. Though she could have aborted the baby, she decided to carry it to term—even though she won’t be able to keep it.

This is such a sad story, and it reminds us again of the ethical difficulties associated with certain kinds of fertility treatments. Nevertheless, I am grateful that this mother has chosen to bring this baby to term. You should take time to read or watch her story.

6 Comments

  • Jan D.

    Wow! This is one of those events that I never could have imagined, yet the reality is at some point it was bound to happen.

    I am so grateful and thankful these parent’s recognize that ALL life is sacred in spite of the circumstances, and I pray their story will spur others to CHOOSE LIFE.

    We need to lift up BOTH families and this sweet baby in our prayers not only now, but in the years to come.

  • Bekah Mason

    What I found interesting about the entire story was, when the mistake was found, the couple was given the option to abort. However, when they decided to carry the baby to term, the biological parents were informed and this couple is being required to hand the child over to his biological parents. Would the fertility clinic have informed the biological couple of the mistake had this couple chosen to abort? Would the biological couple have been able to force the this couple to carry the child to term if they had originally chosen abortion?

    This case also shows that the abortion debate is not about sanctity of life but about convenience of life. If a child is wanted, it is valuable; if it’s not wanted, it’s expendable.

    This is definitely an ethical/moral situation that should cause us all to pause and consider how we, as Christians, should approach fertility options.

  • Brian Krieger

    Bekah:

    You bring up a good point. Technology and biomedical advances should give us pause. new and innovative and even helpful doesn’t necessarily mean right. Not an easy answer, either, though.

Comment here. Please use FIRST and LAST name.