A Gurugram couple have approached the courts after DNA tests allegedly revealed their twins, born through IVF, share no genetic connection with either parent, raising serious questions about embryo-handling protocols at the fertility centre where they underwent treatment.
The problem came to light months after the twins’ birth during a routine medical check-up, when doctors noticed unusual physical features and recommended detailed genetic testing. The results showed a complete genetic mismatch, with neither the mother nor the father sharing a biological connection with the children.
“The younger baby looked North-Eastern,” the father, Rahul Rathore, said. “Where are our children? We went there to have children of our own,” the mother added.
The family suspects embryos belonging to another couple may have been mistakenly implanted or that a mix-up occurred involving the babies after birth. The couple say they repeatedly approached the IVF centre’s management and embryology team seeking access to internal records, medical files and verification logs and claim those requests went unanswered.
The case has drawn significant attention and could lead to closer scrutiny of laboratory protocols at fertility centres across the country. Experts note that a complete genetic mismatch of this kind could indicate that one or more verification mechanisms failed, were bypassed, or were not properly followed during treatment.
The matter has also drawn comparisons with a similar embryo mix-up case involving a Delhi fertility clinic that was previously brought before the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
India’s Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021, mandates strict record-keeping and consent protocols at IVF centres, but enforcement has remained patchy. The case is likely to renew calls for mandatory embryo-tracking audits and third-party oversight of assisted reproductive technology laboratories.
The fertility centre involved has not responded to queries.
