Following the serious malfunction in the fertility treatments at Assuta Rishon LeZion, the management of Assuta decided today (Saturday) not to accept new patients to the ivf department at Assuta Rishon LeZion, thus the Ministry of Health was also informed.
Tomorrow blood tests are expected to be taken from a woman who is most likely the genetic mother of the fetus in the womb of another woman who is in advanced pregnancy with a fetus that is not genetically hers.
In vitro fertilization (illustration), photo: GettyImages
Following an examination that was conducted, the list of patients for whom there is a likelihood of embryo transfer was reduced from about 40 to eight women, with one of them being "highly likely" to be related to the event.
Basuta stated that she is not pregnant.
Which reduces the fear of a "double" malfunction.
However, in Assuta Rishon Lezion they are still checking whether the fetus belonging to the woman who is currently pregnant - was not mistakenly returned to another woman and such a suspicion has not yet been ruled out.
On Friday, an expert in the study of processes in medicine visited Assuta Rishon Lezion, who will investigate the event on behalf of the medical division of the Ministry of Health.
This is alongside an inspection committee with experts in the field of fertility and ethics that will be appointed later and will examine broader aspects.
Fertility and in vitro fertilization unit (archive), photo: Liron Moldovan
The Ministry of Health stated that the possibility of stopping all fertility treatments in Assuta was considered immediately following the case, but in light of the sensitivity of the issue and the fact that there are women who have been waiting for years for a baby and are in protracted processes, it was decided not to harm them.
The serious glitch, the return of the wrong embryo during fertility treatments to a woman who is not his mother genetically, was discovered at the end of last week.
The rare malfunction was discovered after the fetus was diagnosed with severe complications that require surgery during pregnancy.
The difficult experts required an additional genetic investigation where it became clear that the mother carrying the pregnancy has no genetic connection to the fetus.
The surgical procedure on the fetus is expected to take place in the coming days.
Basuta will not accept new patients, photo: Gettyimages
Sources involved in the case estimate that only after it becomes clear whether the procedure was successful will the difficult legal questions arise - who are the parents of the baby?
The carrier mother or the "genetic" mother.
From Assuta it was reported: "At the end of two days of careful examination in Assuta, it is reported that after the laboratory processes pertaining to the case were reviewed and tested, and the possible "contacts" were mapped where the exchange between embryos may have occurred, an estimated limited number of approximately 10 female patients were identified, with one of them defined as having a relatively high probability. This patient is not pregnant, and Assuta is in contact with her for further examination and clarification. All other patients have a low probability of carrying out the exchange.
Assuta emphasizes that the Ministry of Health is updated on all mapping processes and dialogue with the patients, with full transparency as required. Also, a doctor on behalf of Assuta is in contact with the patient , who is passing through her womb, the incompatibility was discovered, immediately after the incident became clear, and he will continue to accompany her."
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