SAVANNAH, Ga. – Two years ago, Krystena Murray underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF) and became pregnant, but she was unaware until childbirth that a significant error had occurred at the clinic. In December 2023, Murray welcomed a healthy baby boy, recognizing immediately that the child was not genetically hers; he was Black, in stark contrast to her and her sperm donor’s white heritage. It was later revealed that a different patient’s embryo had been mistakenly implanted into her.
Despite this unexpected situation, Murray chose to raise the child. However, upon notifying the fertility clinic about the mix-up, she was informed that the biological parents of the baby were located and that they sought custody. Faced with the reality of a legal battle she felt she couldn’t win, Murray decided to relinquish the 5-month-old boy.
Now 38 years old and residing in Savannah, Murray has filed a civil lawsuit against Coastal Fertility Specialists, alleging that the clinic’s negligence in handling her embryos has led to severe emotional distress and anguish. In a virtual news conference, she expressed her feelings of violation and heartbreak, emphasizing how much she wanted to be a mother and how deeply she had cared for the child.
Coastal Fertility Specialists, which runs clinics in Savannah and four locations in South Carolina, acknowledged the error in an email statement, calling it an “unprecedented error” related to embryo transfers. The clinic has indicated that new protocols have been put in place to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future, stating that this was an isolated case with no other patients impacted.
Murray’s journey through IVF began in early 2023, involving hormonal injections to stimulate egg production, followed by harvesting and fertilization of the eggs in a lab. She became pregnant after the second embryo implantation. However, her lawsuit suggests that the clinic’s drastic and outrageous mistake resulted in her being unwittingly turned into a surrogate for another couple.
Murray’s attorney, Adam Wolf, noted that questions surrounding her own embryos remain unanswered, leaving her in the dark about their fate. Wolf’s law firm has championed the cause of over 1,000 patients who have pursued legal action against fertility clinics for various errors, including damaged or misplaced embryos. He stated that while such mistakes are rare, they can have profound and life-altering implications.
Murray vividly recalls the moment she gave birth, when initial joy morphed into confusion and trepidation upon realizing the nature of the mix-up. Concerns flooded her mind about the identity of the child and the possibility of losing him. Consequently, this fear kept her from sharing photos of her baby on social media, leading her to cover him with a blanket during a funeral to avoid scrutiny.
After taking a DNA test early in the following year that confirmed the child did not belong to her, Wolf mentioned that they promptly notified Coastal Fertility Specialists with the hope that the clinic would enhance its operational protocols. The clinic subsequently identified the child’s biological parents and informed them of the situation.
Murray faced a custody lawsuit from the couple last year when her attorneys made it clear that her chances of winning were slim. With these considerations in mind, she voluntarily gave up her baby when he was merely five months old, and she has not seen him since that time.
As she reflected on her IVF experience, Murray admitted that although she had reflected on the potential risks of the procedure, she never anticipated that the outcome would involve giving birth to someone else’s child, potentially leading to him being taken from her. She contends that this reality is a critical aspect that future IVF patients should be made aware of.
