By
Daily Mail Reporter
09:16 EST, 29 April 2012
|
10:38 EST, 29 April 2012
A gay couple is said to be ‘devastated’ after an alleged mix-up at an IVF clinic led them to have two children from different racial backgrounds.
It is believed sperm from the wrong donor was used in the suspected blunder which has resulted in the second child being a different race from the rest of the family.
The mistake is alleged to have happened at the London Women’s Clinic, in Harley Street, which specialises in helping gay men and women to conceive.
The London Women’s Clinic (pictured) in Harley Street is under investigation
It also has the largest sperm bank in Britain.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HEFA), which regulates IVF clinics, is believed to have begun investigating the case in January and a report will be presented on May 31.
It is claimed the parents only discovered the mix-up after the second child was born.
Fertility doctor Kamal Ahuja has said he cannot comment while an investigation takes place
A spokeswoman for the HEFA told The Sunday Times: ‘Our primary concern is for the patients involved and their confidentiality.
‘They are understandably very distressed about the incident and the fact that it has become public knowledge.’
Dr Kamal Ajuja, who is in charge of the
clinic, has called in an independent expert to investigate the case.
However, he said he could not comment while an investigation was
ongoing.
Lawyers for the unit said the chances of a mix-up involving donor sperm is less than 0.02 per cent.
However,
Caron Heyes, a solicitor at Blake Lapthorn which is representing the
couple, said: ‘The damage to the [younger] child in the future, to both
the siblings and the family unit could be catastrophic.’
It wouldn’t be the first time that an IVF clinic has made a similar mistake.
In
2002, a white couple had mixed-race twins after an Asian man’s sperm
was incorrectly used to impregnate eggs at a fertility clinic managed by
Leeds NHS Trust.
The incorrect artificial insemination is alleged to have happened at the London Women’s Clinic, which specialises in helping gay men and women to conceive
Another mix-up happened at a fertility clinic at Belfast’s Royal Victoria hospital.
The couple’s first child with the donor was fair skinned but their second child was black.
More than 13,000 babies are born each year as a result of IVF treatment.
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Of course you would be devastated, regardless it’s a Gay or Straight couple! People seem to go on about how wrong it is for gay couples to have kids.. Personally I don’t see the issue, if the child is raised with love and respect what’s the difference … Some people mention Bullying, well that’s down to the parents not educating their children about the world!!
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This whole scene is quite wrong and should NOT be happening.
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Does it really matter? They’re human after all and need a loving family in whatever form.
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Gays should not be allowed to have IVF children.
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This is all so wrong. What does it say about this ‘couple’ that they have an issue with the race of one of their children when the far bigger issue is the question of whether two men should be entitled to bring up children in the first place. If two men want to be together then that is their concern but bringing children into the equation is just unethical.
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I’m sorry but if you want a baby that badly why are you bothered about the race? If it is “catastrophic” to your family to have a child of a different race I think you’ve got your priorities all wrong.
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jackie , hertfordshire, 29/04/2012 16:01
I agree with you 100%, when you realise you are gay not being a father/ mother goes along with it. Children deserve a mother and a father, not two dads or two mums.
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karen, england. could not agree with you more.
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‘m shocked. Private healthcare makes mistakes?!?!??!?!
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Jackie from Hertfordshire…. So gay people are unsuitable parents? Go back to the middle ages, please.
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