Italian government inspectors were due on Monday to visit the Pertini hospital in Rome, where the treatment occurred, after the woman underwent a pre-natal check which revealed her unborn children possessed different DNA to her and her husband. The woman, who has not been named, underwent IVF treatment on Dec. 4, at the same time as three other women, one of whom had a similar surname to hers, Italian press reported on Monday. Corriere della Sera said their surnames were identical except for three letters. Michele Ambrosini, a lawyer representing the woman, said she was determined to push on with her pregnancy. "If she had wanted an abortion she would have already done it," he said. There has been no word from the real mother of the twins, whose own IVF pregnancy reportedly ended with a miscarriage. But Italian legal experts said that she would have no chance of claiming custody, since under Italian law, whoever gives birth to children is the legal mother. "Legal claims will be useless to get the twins back," Lorenzo D'Avack, vice president of Italy's national bioethics committee said. The case is another blow to the reputation of Italy's medical profession, following the sentence of … Continue reading →

World Rome: An Italian woman who is carrying twins that are not her own following an apparent hospital IVF mix-up will most likely be allowed to keep the babies. Italian government inspectors have begun investigations at the Pertini hospital in Rome, where the treatment took place, after a pre-natal check showed that the woman's unborn children possessed different DNA to her and her husband. The woman, who has not been named, had IVF treatment on December 4, at the same time as three other women, one of whom had a similar surname, the Italian press reported. Staff may have mixed up the embryos ready for insertion, or the women might even have responded to the wrong name when they were called from the waiting room for treatment, according to reports. Michele Ambrosini, a lawyer representing the woman, said she was determined to push on with her pregnancy. "If she had wanted an abortion she would have already done it," he said. Advertisement Experts said that the real mother of the twins - whose IVF pregnancy reportedly ended with a miscarriage - would have no chance of claiming custody, since under Italian law whoever gives birth to children is their legal … Continue reading →