23 February 2025: Krystena Murray, a 38-year-old woman from the United States, has filed a lawsuit against a fertility clinic after an IVF error led her to give birth to a child who was not genetically hers, as per . Murray, who underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF), believed she was carrying her own biological child. However, upon delivery, she realized something was amiss.
“I was happy. I was a mom. He was beautiful and perfect, but it was also very clear something was wrong,” Murray said while announcing the lawsuit. The baby boy she gave birth to was African American, despite both Murray and her chosen sperm donor being white.
A subsequent genetic test confirmed her fears—there was no biological connection between her and the baby. “My baby is not genetically mine—he doesn’t have my blood, he doesn’t have my eyes, but he is and will always be my son. I will never fully heal or completely move on. Part of me will always long for my son and wonder what kind of person he’s becoming,” Murray expressed.
After learning the truth, Murray notified the fertility clinic. The clinic then contacted the child’s biological parents, who initiated custody proceedings. Though deeply bonded with the child, Murray voluntarily gave him up after a few months so he could be with his biological family.
The fertility clinic acknowledged the mistake, calling it an “isolated event with no further patients affected.” They assured the public that additional safety measures were implemented immediately.
“The same day this error was discovered, we conducted an in-depth review and put additional safeguards in place to ensure that such an incident does not happen again,” the clinic stated.
This case sheds light on the profound emotional and legal complexities that can arise from mistakes in fertility treatments, highlighting the need for stringent procedures to protect hopeful parents from life-altering errors.