Reported IVF error at the Wellington Hospital
22 August 2003
Since the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority was set up in 1991, all clinics that provide treatment involving the use of stored or donated eggs and sperm or embryos created outside the body are licensed by the HFEA.
In October 2002 the HFEA introduced Standard Operating Procedures for witnessing clinical and laboratory activities. This means that, at every licensed clinic, the embryologist must be checked by another member of staff for every single stage of treatment carried out.
Clinics are required to have procedures in place to double check the identification of:
- the patients undergoing treatment
- the sperm and eggs at the time of insemination
- the embryos and the patient at the time of embryo transfer
- this cross checking and witnessing, should minimise the risk of the ´wrong' sperm, eggs or embryos being used.
Angela McNab, Chief Executive of the HFEA, said:
"Whilst the chance of any error occurring is extremely small because of the witnessing procedures and double checking now in place, the HFEA continuously assesses even ´near miss' incidents in order to improve safety across all licensed IVF clinics."
Ends
Notes to editors
The HFEA was set up in August 1991 as part of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. The HFEA's principal tasks are to license and monitor clinics that carry out in vitro fertilisation (IVF), donor insemination (DI) and human embryo research. The HFEA also regulates the storage of gametes (eggs and sperm) and embryos.
Page last updated: 12 March 2009