A parent who conceived a child through Royal North Shore Hospital’s fertility clinic in the 1990s, just months before a significant embryo mix-up at the same facility, has revealed their family is now planning to undergo DNA testing. This proactive step comes in the wake of revelations that an IVF error occurred at the Sydney clinic in April 1995, leading to twin girls being born to a mother to whom they are not biologically related.
The profound mistake, which has understandably caused immense distress, was only brought to light last year. The discovery was made when one of the twins, Sasha Szafranski, utilised a genealogy tracing website, a common practice for many exploring their heritage.
Now, another parent who conceived a child at the clinic during the period preceding this critical error, has shared their unease with the ABC. They described the news of the serious mistake as “unnerving” and confirmed their family’s intention to pursue DNA testing. “We are all going to get a DNA test to make sure it was all good,” they stated, indicating a desire for reassurance about their child’s biological lineage. The parent also mentioned the possibility of using platforms like Ancestry.com to explore their family history further.
This former patient expressed their belief that other families who underwent fertility treatments at the clinic around the same time as the embryo mix-up would likely follow suit, seeking similar peace of mind. While this parent remains confident in the biological relationship with their child, they admitted that the news of the error has “rocked” them, describing the incident as a “really inexcusable mistake.” They also conveyed deep empathy for Sasha Szafranski’s mother, Penny Szafranski, who learned last year that her twin daughters were not her biological offspring. “It is appalling, it is just not fair for her,” the parent commented, highlighting the emotional toll such a revelation can have.
The Growing Role of DNA Testing in Uncovering IVF Errors
Embryologist and fertility adviser, Lucy Lines, has voiced expectations that the increasing popularity of genealogy websites and the widespread accessibility of DNA testing will likely lead to the discovery of more significant IVF errors in the future. “I think these things are going to come to light more and more unfortunately,” Ms Lines observed.
She stressed the importance of context, noting that while such serious errors are rare, safety standards and regulatory oversight within the IVF sector have seen considerable improvements since the 1990s. However, for families who navigated IVF during the industry’s earlier, less regulated years, news of such mistakes can undoubtedly be a source of considerable stress.
Ms Lines issued a word of caution against rushing into DNA testing. “The first thing I think it means is you need to really, really deeply consider what information you might want and what the impact of having that information might be on your current life,” she advised. She anticipates that parents who used IVF in the 1990s, and the children conceived during that era, are likely experiencing feelings of anxiety and worry following the reports of the IVF mix-up.
For those feeling overwhelmed, Ms Lines encouraged seeking support. “I encourage people to reach out to their support networks, reach out to counselling, reach out to Lifeline if you need to, all of their services are there to support you,” she stated.
Government Offers Support to Affected Families
In the year since the 1995 embryo mix-up was discovered, the affected parties – Sasha Szafranski, her twin sister, their mother, and the biological family to whom the twins are related – have not received any official apologies or offers of support. This lack of assistance has stemmed from a dispute between NSW Health and a private company concerning responsibility for the clinic at the time of the incident.
The hospital stated that its fertility clinic was transferred to a private company in 1994, prior to the mix-up. This company, North Shore A.R.T, was subsequently acquired by another entity, which was eventually taken over by the prominent IVF provider, Virtus Health. Both the hospital and the private entities have denied responsibility for the error.
However, in a significant development, NSW Health Minister Ryan Park has now offered support to the affected families for the first time. He confirmed that NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce had been in contact with the family’s local health district to clearly communicate the health department’s willingness to provide assistance.
“It doesn’t matter to Susan and I that it wasn’t our clinic to be perfectly frank; it means someone has been through a really difficult time and this is very traumatic,” Minister Park stated. Addressing Sasha Szafranski directly, he added, “For this woman, this is a really, really challenging period and for that I want them to know and their families to know we are thinking of them but more importantly we are happy to provide services and support for them.”
He strongly encouraged the families to accept this offer of support if they felt it was needed. “Should this person and their family want to take that offer up, I can assure you they will be met with open arms,” he assured.
When questioned about the likelihood of this embryo mix-up being an isolated incident, given its accidental discovery, the minister acknowledged the inherent uncertainties. “I don’t think it was prevalent but I am never in the game of making predictions about things I don’t know,” he concluded.
