Wrong Embryo: Woman Gives Birth to Baby After Being Implanted with the Wrong Embryo

In a tragic turn of events after seeking the help of an infertility clinic, Carolyn Savage, 40, delivered a healthy baby boy at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center in Toledo Thursday after the clinic transferred the wrong embryo to her. After carrying the baby to term, Savage will hand the baby over to his biological parents.

Sean and Carolyn Savage of Sylvania, Ohio released a statement Friday evening which stated, "At this time, we would like to offer our heartfelt congratulations to the Morell family on the birth of their son. We wish Paul, Shannon, their twin girls and their new baby boy the best, as they move forward with their lives together." Asking for privacy, the Savages said "Our family is going through a very difficult time." They thanked the people around the world for their support and prayers as well as the medical professionals for the care they provided.

In February, a fertility clinic transferred the embryo of Paul and Shannon Morell to Carolyn Savage by mistake. After ten days, the Savages received a call from the clinic explaining the error and informing them that Carolyn was pregnant with someone else's child. The Morells of Troy, Michigan, learned of the clinic's error one day later.

The Morells and the Savages did not know each other. When Shannon Morell learned of the mistake, she feared Carolyn might choose to abort the baby rather than carry the baby to term. The Savages told The Associated Press that they never considered terminating the pregnancy or even trying to fight for custody. A few days passed, however, before the Morells learned the Savages would hand over the baby without hesitation.

After considering this tragic situation, the word "altruistic" comes to mind to describe the actions of Carolyn Savage and her husband Sean. The online Merriam-Webster dictionary defines altruism as:

Main Entry: al• tru• ism

Pronunciation: \ˈal-trü-ˌi-zəm\

Etymology: French altruisme, from autrui other people, from Old French, oblique case form of autre other, from Latin alter

Date: 1853

1: unselfish regard for or devotion to the welfare of others
2: behavior by an animal that is not beneficial to or may be harmful to itself but that benefits others of its species

- al• tru• ist \-trü-ist\ noun

- al• tru• is• tic \ˌal-trü-ˈis-tik\ adjective

- al• tru• is• ti• cal• ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

The Savages have displayed unselfish regard for the welfare of the Morell family and the Morell's biological child that Carolyn carried without regard for herself. This act could have been physically harmful to Carolyn Savage, but was most certainly psychologically difficult, and she continued the pregnancy to benefit the Morell family. Last Wednesday, Savage told the AP "This was someone else's child. We didn't know who it was. We didn't know if they didn't have children or if this was their last chance for a child."

Certainly, the Morells have found Carolyn to be altruistic in her actions, saying they would be "eternally grateful" for her decision to give birth to their child. "It's been a long, difficult journey, and we're thrilled that our family is now complete," said the Morells. "We will be eternally grateful for his guardian angel, Carolyn Savage, and the support of the entire Savage family."

In a world full of adversity and misfortune, the actions of the Savage's are a welcome relief.

Sources:

The Associated Press. (26 Sept. 2009). Ohio woman, Carolyn Savage, implanted with wrong embryo gives birth to baby boy. (online). 26 Sept. 2009.
http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/2009/09/26/2009-09-26_ohio_woman_carolyn_savage_implanted_with_wrong_embryo_gives_birth_to_.html#ixzz0SFNEwhwT

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/altruism