Asuta Fertility Director Addresses Donor Sperm Identity Concerns Amid Ongoing Investigation

Dr. Tal Shavit, head of the fertility unit at Asuta Ramat Hahayal Hospital, responded on Tuesday to concerns raised by a patient who claimed a genetic test indicated a discrepancy in the identity of the sperm donor for her two children born through fertility treatments at the hospital. The patient, treated at Asuta for years, had children from treatments in 2022 and late 2025, with the second child born less than two months ago. Dr. Shavit emphasized that the investigation is still ongoing and no final conclusions have been reached, but current findings do not suggest a systemic failure or risk to other patients.

Upon receiving the complaint, Dr. Shavit personally contacted the patient to assure a thorough inquiry and offered emotional support, acknowledging the distress caused by the possibility that her children might not share the intended donor. He stressed the seriousness with which the hospital treats such claims, noting that initial record reviews show the sperm used matches the documented donor, though further checks are underway. The investigation covers the entire treatment timeline from the patient’s first contact with Asuta to the present, considering multiple stages where errors could occur.

Dr. Shavit also addressed fears of a broader issue affecting other patients, stating that the likelihood of a widespread problem is very low based on current data. He reassured thousands of women undergoing fertility treatments at Asuta that every concern is taken seriously and investigated individually. Following a 2022 embryo mix-up incident, Asuta implemented significant safety improvements, including the RI Witness electronic tagging system that tracks samples via RFID to reduce human error. This system confirmed no mismatches in the recent treatment cycle.

The genetic test prompting the inquiry was conducted abroad, and Asuta is carefully evaluating its implications, as legal parentage tests in Israel require judicial procedures. Importantly, the hospital confirmed the patient is the biological mother of both children, distinguishing this case from the 2022 event. Asuta’s IVF unit is one of Israel’s largest, performing approximately 12,500 treatment cycles annually and accounting for about 21% of IVF births nationwide. The hospital is cooperating fully with the Ministry of Health, which was promptly informed, and pledges transparency as the investigation continues.

"This is a matter of life and death," Dr. Shavit said. "We are dedicating full attention to understanding what happened, why, and how to prevent recurrence. We will update publicly once we have findings."