Parents Say NJ Clinic Got Mother Pregnant With Wrong Sperm – Livingston, NJ Patch

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — When all is said and done, they love their daughter, and that won’t change. But a New Jersey couple is looking for a major policy revamp – and financial compensation – from a fertility clinic they say gave them the wrong sperm.

The Verona residents, who have since divorced, are accusing the Livingston-based Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Science at Saint Barnabas of botching their $500,000 artificial insemination process, which took place in 2012, NJ.com reported.

The parents, who are white, said they first became aware of the alleged mix-up when their daughter began to develop “Asian” features. After taking a DNA test, they learned the father – whose sperm was supposed to be used in the fertilization process – is not their child’s biological parent.

They later divorced, citing the incident as one of the major reasons for the separation, NJ.com reported.

Last month, an Essex County judge ordered the clinic to turn over several pieces of information to the enraged parents, including the list of potential sperm donors.

On Wednesday, David Mazie of Mazie, Slater, Katz & Freeman in Roseland, spoke with Patch about the lawsuit.

Mazie said that his clients love their child regardless of the outcome of the case. “She’s their daughter,” he emphasized.

However, every person has the right to have a child using their own genes, he said.

“We’re looking for this to never happen to anyone again,” Mazie said, adding that his clients are seeking sweeping changes to the clinic’s procedures as well as monetary damages.

Mazie said last month’s court order entitles his clients to several pieces of information, including the identities of staff members who were present during the fertilization process. The parents are also entitled to the names of possible sperm donors, which will enable their daughter to learn about possible genetic or medical disorders she may be at risk for.

A spokesperson for Saint Barnabas Medical Center, a RWJBarnabas Health facility, offered Patch the following statement on Wednesday: “This matter involves a private group in litigation. RWJBH does not comment on matters in litigation.”

Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com