A Georgia woman has filed a lawsuit against Coastal Fertility Specialists after the clinic implanted her with another couple’s embryo. Krystena Murray, a white woman, carried and delivered a Black baby—a shocking revelation that led to a devastating custody battle and a painful loss.
Murray lost custody five months after delivery, despite wanting to keep the child, according to the lawsuit. She now has no idea whether her own embryo was implanted in another woman or if she has a biological child being raised by strangers.
This is not the first case of an IVF clinic mixing up embryos. In 2021, a California couple sued the California Center for Reproductive Health after they were implanted with another family’s embryo. That case was settled in 2022.
There is no federal agency in the U.S. that oversees the fertility industry as a whole or holds clinics accountable for errors like this, although they do have many policies in place to minimize errors. They use policy recommendations from ASRM and other leading organizations in the field.
What Happened
According to the complaint, Murray had embryos created using her eggs at Coastal Fertility, a chain of clinics in Georgia and South Carolina. The clinic implanted her with an embryo, and she became pregnant.
She only realized something was wrong after delivering a baby who was not biologically hers. The sperm donor she had selected was also white.
Coastal Fertility allegedly informed the other couple, who then sued Murray in family court for custody of the child. In May 2024, she voluntarily relinquished the child during a hearing. She has not seen him since.
What People Are Saying
Murray, in a statement:
“This has destroyed me. I’m heartsick; I’m emotionally broken. Nothing can express the shock and violation upon learning that your doctor put a stranger’s embryo into your body. To carry a baby, fall in love with him, deliver him, and build the uniquely special bond between mother and baby, all to have him taken away. I’ll never fully recover from this.”
Adam Wolf, her attorney:
“Unfortunately, the United States does not have meaningful fertility industry oversight. Until IVF clinics are subject to real regulations, reporting requirements, and mandatory certification programs for lab staff, these mishaps will continue to occur.”
What Happens Next
Murray is suing for damages exceeding $75,000, along with punitive damages and attorney fees. But for her, no amount of money can undo the trauma of losing a child she carried, loved, and was forced to give up.
This series will look closely at the legal side of IVF and the legal status of extra-uterine embryos. What are the practical implications of IVF law for clinics, research facilities, parents, and embryos? Although this situation happens in a fraction of IVF cycles, it is incredibly unfortunate.