TOLEDO, Ohio — Carolyn Savage didn't know what to think, what to say, where to look as the ultrasound wand glided over her belly. It was supposed to be her baby inside. Not someone else's.
Yet here she was in her doctor's office with the baby's biological mother, both brought together by a terrible error at a fertility clinic. A doctor, they said, had given Savage the wrong embryo, and now she was carrying the other woman's child.
Yes, you read that correctly. This couple went to a fertility clinic, underwent the procedure, and wound up with the wrong embryo implanted in the woman's womb. When they were notified of the mistake, how did they react? You'd expect a lawsuit or worse, right?
Wrong.
Embryo mix-ups at fertility clinics are extremely rare. In those few instances, they've degenerated into custody battles, ugly lawsuits and at least one abortion. But not this time. Savage and her husband decided that the right thing — the only thing — to do was to give the baby to the biological parents.
Kudos to you, Mr. & Mrs. Savage. Your grace and composure through what surely must have been a hellacious decision put you head, shoulders, and womb above the rest. Thank you for giving me a glimmer of hope for humanity.
And not a single comment about a womb with a view, okay?
That is all.
6 comments:
Here's a quote from the article that pegs the irony meter:
" The doctor told them they could abort, but the couple didn't consider that a viable option."
My shirts at the laundry are probably tracked better than embryos at that clinic.
I heard snippets from interviews with both sets of parents on the radio yesterday. I was struck by how compassionate and focused both sets were.
It was obviously extremely hard for the mother carrying the baby, knowing she would have to give the baby up - but you didn't hear any "why me" hysterics. Instead, BOTH sets of parents were focused on what would be best for the baby and morally "right".
My heart goes out to these folks, but it sure is nice to see people actually doing the right thing in the normal course of life.
Well, considering my experience as a surrogate mother, I wonder who's covering the medical bills?
Christina, it looks like they've got it covered:
"The Savages won't reveal the name of the fertility clinic, saying only that it's not in Ohio. They have hired attorneys who say they are working to make sure the clinic will accept full responsibility."
But you do bring up an excellent point. It would really suck for this woman to do the right thing, only to have it come back and bite her in the ass down the road...
:(
WTG is "Way to Go" ? I think I figured it out.
Wow.
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