After it was discovered that a pregnant woman carried a fetus that was genetically incompatible with her and her partner, Assuta Rishon Lezion Hospital suspects that the incident may be related to several other patients.
Also, the tests were extended to cases that were close to the day the default occurred.
Masuta stated that "after mapping, we located patients for whom there is a possibility (although this is a low probability) that they are related to the incident. We have stopped all activity around these fetuses, and as necessary, we will contact those patients immediately."
The hospital stated that "a senior team of the unit is currently focusing on in-depth examinations of all the cases that were treated on the following days: the day of pumping and fertilization, the day of freezing and the day of thawing."
Fertility treatments, photo: GettyImages
"Even though the unit works to high standards and has passed the controls of the Ministry of Health, the Standards Institute and internal and international controls - the procedures for the operation of the unit have been sharpened again," explained Basuta.
"Also, we will open a dedicated line for female patients, where we hold a dialogue with the applicants, and provide an initial response and a doctor's call if necessary. It should be noted that Assuta reports to the Ministry of Health transparently as required."
Let us remind you that such a rare malfunction can happen both in the process of pumping the egg, both in the fertilization in the laboratory and in the return of the embryos to the body.
Although at each stage the doctors and the laboratory staff are required for several verification operations, but these are the designated points for disasters.
"It's unfortunate that it happened, we have to do everything to prevent it from happening," says Prof. Shlomo Mashiach, who is known as "the father of fertility treatments in Israel."
"Such a malfunction is everyone's nightmare, fertility experts, embryologists (fertility laboratory workers - MI) and couples.
Some couples ask us questions about the identification procedure.
There are mainly religious couples who pay for 'supervision' by associations that supervise the work in the laboratory, this is another pair of eyes and it adds to their security.
I hope there won't be a big panic among the couples undergoing fertility treatments."
How was the mistake discovered?
A procedure of tissue examination and genetic identification of the fetus is not routinely performed in fertility treatments.
Even diagnostic tests during pregnancy such as amniotic fluid or placental secretions do not provide genetic identification of the fetus, but only the picture of the chromosomes and their defects.
Experts in the field point out that the parents may have suspected something and therefore demanded such a test.
Another possibility is that an amniotic fluid test revealed a severe genetic defect that required clarification of its origin, and then it was discovered that the fetus is not genetically identical to its parents.
were we wrong
We will fix it!
If you found an error in the article, we would appreciate it if you shared it with us
