Health Ministry Investigates Possible Sperm Donor Mix-Up at Assuta Medical Center

The Israeli Ministry of Health is investigating a report from a single mother who claims a genetic mismatch between her two children and the sperm donor she selected at Assuta Ramat Hahayal Medical Center. The hospital alerted the Ministry on Monday evening after a private genetic test conducted abroad raised concerns that the donor used in her fertility treatments did not match her children genetically.

The mother, an older single woman, underwent in vitro fertilization at Assuta Ramat Hahayal, choosing the donor based on specific characteristics. She gave birth to her first child about three years ago and recently had a second child using the same donor. After noticing that her children did not resemble each other physically, she ordered a private DNA test, which confirmed she is the biological mother but found no genetic match to the donor.

The Ministry of Health is reviewing the details of the case, including the private test and the foreign laboratory involved, while Assuta is conducting its own internal investigation. The mother's lawyers, Gilad and Anat Ginzburg, have formally requested the Ministry to establish a special committee to examine the case thoroughly.

Assuta responded that it immediately reported the patient's concerns to the Ministry and is cooperating fully, emphasizing that further tests are needed before conclusions can be drawn. The center pledged transparency and coordination with the Ministry throughout the investigation.

This incident follows two previous high-profile fertility-related controversies involving Assuta. In 2022, a genetic mix-up at Assuta Rishon Lezion led to a baby named Sofia being born from an embryo not genetically related to the mother, sparking a prolonged legal battle over custody. Additionally, a separate case at Assuta Ramat Hahayal raised doubts about a child's genetic relation to the presumed father after IVF treatment.