California couple says embryo was mistakenly implanted in another woman
LOS ANGELES -- A California couple says their embryo was mistakenly implanted in another woman, who then gave birth to their child.
The victims in the lawsuit say it started at the CHA Fertility Center, where three couples went for procedures on the same day.
Just as the website shows, embryos are fertilized, frozen, and implanted, but in this case, they were implanted to the wrong mothers.
A clinic director delivered the news to Anni and Ashot Manukyan.
"Over two weeks ago, I believe she said, there were two babies that were born, and once she said that I heard my heart beat outside of my body," Anni said.
They were shocked and heartbroken to learn that the son they wanted had been born to a stranger. Now, there is the legal battle to claim him and the lawsuit that targets the fertility center.
Two male fertilized embryos, one that belonged to the Manukyans, were implanted in a Korean American woman in New York.
That woman was confused because tests had confirmed that her embryos were female, but she had delivered two boys -- one of them the Manukyans' son.
The birth mom learned that her babies were not biologically related to her or to each other and were not Korean.
"CHA put my family through a living hell," Ashot said. "We were like zombies."
Anni's anguish is not just for herself, but for the mother who carried two sons to term and bonded with them.
"I said, 'What about her? What is she going through right now?'" Anni said. "They are messing with real lives, real families. They're babies."
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