A senior family judge has announced that the white woman who gave birth to black twins is the biological mother of the children. Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, who made the statement after a private hearing of the case, confirmed that sperm, rather than embryos, had been mixed up in the unnamed fertility unit.
A statement from the Official Solicitor's office confirmed that the twins have not been separated from their genetic mother: 'Genetic testing has established Mrs A is their biological mother but Mr A is not their biological father. The Trust has identified a man (Mr B) who it is believed might have provided the sperm to Mrs A.'
The discovery has greatly reduced the chances of a legal paternity battle, now that Mrs A is confirmed to be both the birth mother and the biological mother of the twins. However, the hospital trust involved is bringing a case to clarify the duties it owes to the parties. Dame Elizabeth said that she hoped the 'difficult and sensitive issues' in the case would be resolved later this year in an open court.
Related Articles
Couple speak out about IVF mistake
A British couple have spoken to the press about the 'nightmare' they have gone through since a mistake was made during treatment they received at a Leeds fertility clinic six years ago. This is the first time the couple have spoken publicly about their situation, despite...
Report of IVF 'blunders' inquiry is published
The UK's Department of Health has published a report of its inquiry into the circumstances surrounding a number of IVF mix-ups, one of which led to mixed-race twins being born to a white couple. Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer, commissioned Professor Brian Toft, in July 2002, to investigate...
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.