A lawsuit has been filed by a couple who claim that a mistake at a fertility clinic resulted in the birth of a child who is not biologically related to them. Tiffany Score and Steven Mills allege that the Fertility Centre of Orlando in Florida mistakenly implanted another patient’s embryo into Score’s uterus during fertility treatment. The lawsuit, filed in Orange County Circuit Court, names IVF Life, Inc. and Dr. Milton McNichol as defendants.
Court documents reveal that Score and Mills had stored three viable embryos at the clinic in 2020, which were created through in vitro fertilization for future use. Despite the clinic’s promotion of advanced fertility care and cutting-edge technology, an embryo was implanted five years later.
After giving birth to a healthy female child on December 11, the couple noticed that the baby did not physically resemble them. Subsequent genetic testing confirmed that the child had no genetic relationship to either parent.
The couple’s attorney, John Scarola, sent a letter to the clinic demanding reunification of the child with her genetic parents and an explanation for the embryo mix-up. Concerned about the possibility of a broader error, Score and Mills fear that their embryo may have been implanted in another patient.
The lawsuit seeks urgent court intervention to notify potentially affected patients and cover the costs of widespread genetic testing. The couple wishes to know if other families have been impacted by similar mix-ups.
During an emergency hearing, Scarola emphasized the need for extensive genetic testing and described the mistake as rare but egregious. Judge Margaret Schreiber acknowledged the complexity of the case due to limited Florida laws on such matters.
Dr. McNichol, who graduated from Loma Linda University School of Medicine in 2004, has been recognized for his medical expertise and patient care. IVF Life stated its cooperation with an investigation into the incident resulting in the birth of the non-biologically related child.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Fertility Centre of Orlando and Dr. McNichol were unsuccessful.
