An Italian couple undergoing fertility treatment gave birth to twins of colour following a mishap at a fertility clinic, the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera said on Sunday.
According to the daily, the eggs and sperm of two couples of different races receiving fertility treatment at the same clinic were mistakenly switched, in the town of Emilia Romagna in northern Italy.
DNA tests confirmed the medical centre’s error, said the newspaper, saying it would give no further information in order to protect the private lives of those involved.
”In the worldwide history of fertility treatment, in my memory, there have been only about five errors with regard to transplantation and fertilisation,” said Professor Carlo Flamigni, the Italian pioneer of test-tube baby technology.
Flamigni said that while rigorous controls are always in place, errors can still happen, especially with regard to matching the right names with sperm and egg samples.
”We are human beings,” said Flamigni, ”not robots.” — Sapa-AFP