Malfunction at clinic may compromise frozen eggs and embryos

A temperature fluctuation in a storage bank has compromised at least 2100 frozen eggs and embryos in a fertility clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.

It is still unclear what caused the malfunction at the University Hospitals Fertility Centre, which may affect more than 500 fertility patients.

Patricia DePompei, president of University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital said in a video posted on Facebook: 'We are so very sorry this happened and we want to do all that we can to support our patients and families through this very difficult time.'

The incident happened between Saturday and Sunday when there was no staff at the clinic. It was discovered on Sunday morning when staff arriving at the facility were alerted by an alarm. 

The University Hospitals announced an independent investigation is being planned to clarify the cause of the incident, which could be due to a technical malfunction or human error.

A class action lawsuit is being brought against the facility by law firm DiCello Levitt & Casey. They are encouraging other patients to join the suit, started by Amber and Elliot Ash, who had a frozen embryo in storage at the centre.

University Hospitals responded: 'We understand why some people might feel compelled to take this step. Any lawsuits being filed will have no bearing on the independent review being conducted.' 

Affected samples included donor eggs, eggs frozen for fertility preservation and eggs being used for fertility treatments. Only the top layers in the tank were affected while samples at the bottom of the tank were not compromised. The extent of the damage to the affected eggs and embryos is currently unclear; viability can only be established once implantation takes place. 

Sean Tipton, chief policy officer at American Society for Reproductive Medicine, said: '[It] is a tragedy. First and foremost, our hearts go out to the patients who have suffered this loss… we will work with our member clinics to help them take any steps needed to ensure such an event never happens again.'