Embryo mix-ups happening infertility clinic seems like a plot story for a TV drama, but it does happen in real life. The glimmer of hope when it comes to In Vitro Fertilization is that countless of hopeful couples can now have children through medical interventions. But when these cases happen, it leads to heartbreak and many other things.

The Savages and the Morells were two sets of couples who wanted to expand their families and chose to turn to IVF. Little did they know that an embryo mix-up would turn their lives upside down.

The Two Mothers Involved In One Implantation

The Savages had extra embryos from their previous IVF procedure which they had kept for that precise occasion. They knew that they might need them in the future, and once they were ready for a fourth child, they went back to the best IVF clinic that they had settled for several years prior.

At the same time, Shannon and Paul Morrell from Troy, Michigan were battling similar struggles to have a third child. Likewise, they already had twin daughters through IVF, and they had frozen several embryos for the future. Three years after they had their twins, they were finally ready to have their third child.

The Baby Boy With Two Families

After months of waiting, Carolyn Savage was soon giving birth to a baby boy. It was the moment her and her husband had been longing to happen for years, but it didn’t exactly bring them the happiness they had envisioned.

Soon after the birth, the child was taken away from them and given to the Morrells. The two couples had strangely crossed paths, beginning with their quest to expand their respective families. The two sets of couples, who were virtually strangers, would all of a sudden become well acquainted with each other because of the baby.

Hearing The Unexpected News

Shannon Morell had an equally tough time on her journey to become a mother. She had fertility issues and went through three miscarriages before finally having their twin daughters through IVF. She also had to go through three IVF rounds before expecting their twins.

That’s why the Morells decided to freeze six embryos in case they would want to expand their family in the future. They used the same fertility clinic as the Savages, and she received an urgent call from the IVF center right before her scheduled implantation. They told her that they had a terrible incident happen at their lab and her embryos had been thawed.

The Embryo Mix-up That Broke Everyone’s Hearts

That wasn’t the end of it because the IVF fertility center had actually implanted her embryos in another woman’s womb. Shannon was stunned by the news, and she had a lot of questions that she needed answering.

The clinic also got in touch with Sean Savage, who was at work, breaking the news to him. They told him that the child that his wife was carrying wasn’t theirs. The mix-up in their lab accidentally led to Carolyn receiving Shannon’s embryos. Sean had the tough task of going back home and telling his wife about the unfortunate incident.

The Tough Road To Welcoming Another Member Of The Family

Sean and Carolyn Savage were an Ohio-based couple who had always wanted to have another child for what seemed like a very long time. They already had three children, but expanding their family would’ve brought them even more happiness at that point in their lives.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t a walk in the park, and they had already gone through several miscarriages which came with equally as many heartbreaks. Most couples would throw in the towel at this point because it’s a lot for anyone to have to go through. However, they weren’t ready to give up and kept on trying to have the baby they desperately wanted.

Going For IVF The Second Time Around

The Savages eventually decided to settle for medical intervention as their last resort to have the child they desperately wanted. Carolyn understood that given her medical history with the previous complications she had experienced, that would be her very last time carrying a child.

It was 2009, and the Savages weren’t new when it came to going through IVF to have a child since they already had one of their children through the medical procedure. The implantation worked, and Carolyn was soon expecting a bundle of joy. They momentarily had the chance to celebrate the great news.

Coming To Terms With The Difficult Situation

A human error had led to the embryo switch because the lab had mistakenly logged Shannon’s embryo’s under her maiden name – Savage. Given that it was also Carolyn’s last name, the mix-up happened and landed them in that tough situation.

Shannon wanted to know whether the other woman, who she didn’t know at the time, was willing to have the baby for them. She was also conflicted about having another woman carry her child to term. At the same time, she couldn’t let go of the thought that the woman was pregnant with her child.

The Choice Of Giving Up The Baby In Two Different Ways

Carolyn remembers the day her husband broke the news to her. She was in their bedroom when he came in and closed the door. He told her what the clinic had told him, and at first, she couldn’t believe it.

It essentially meant that she had become an accidental surrogate instead of carrying their long-awaited child. The fertility clinic gave them the choice of either carrying the baby and giving him up to the Morrells or they could also decide to end the unborn child’s life. Similar cases always ended up in lengthy custody battles, lawsuits against the fertility center, and the majority of them also concluded with a termination.

The Decision Made Under An Unusual Circumstance

Shannon was going through her own battle of emotions, knowing that the life of her unborn child was in the hands of an unknown woman. She only hoped that Carolyn would agree to carry their child to term, but the situation was a highly unusual one.

Having an abortion went against the religious beliefs of the Savages. So, despite the doctors strongly advising against it, they decided to carry the child to term. Carolyn had to wake up each morning, knowing that she was expecting a child that wasn’t hers. The fertility facility had taken responsibility, but they still had to deal with the aftermath.

Meeting To Talk Things Out

The Morrells got in touch with the Savages through legal representation, and the couples finally agreed to meet. They met in Ohio in April of 2014, when Carolyn was two months pregnant. The Morrells expressed their gratitude for what Carolyn was doing, and at that time, Carolyn shared that she hadn’t wanted to meet the Morrells.

In her point of view, they represented a tough reality for her. But at the same time, she knew that it wasn’t their fault. What hurt her the most was knowing that it would be the last child she would ever be able to carry.

Forming An Unlikely Friendship

The two couples kept in touch throughout the pregnancy. They did so to share details about the progress every step of the way. Carolyn had decided to agree to it during their meeting, agreeing to share weekly emails along with ultrasound photos.

In an unexpected twist, as the two women started regularly communicating, they soon warmed up to one another. The Morells dubbed the child their “Peanut”, and they were extremely happy to receive the progress details. Carolyn even extended Shannon an invitation to one of the ultrasound sessions in Ohio.

Choosing A Name For Their Bundle Of Joy

Carolyn still found the process difficult, carrying a baby that she knew wasn’t hers, and she even told Shannon that she considered it “babysitting.” The ladies managed to bond over their mutual interests, including their deep religious beliefs and love for family.

When they discovered that they were having a baby boy, Shannon decided that they would give the little boy “Savage” as a middle name. It was in honor of Carolyn who carried him to term as well as Shannon’s middle name. They chose to go with Logan for his first name.

Preparing To Welcome Logan

The Morells received the call they had been waiting for on September 24, 2009. Logan was on the way, and they didn’t waste time packing up their car to head to the hospital in Toledo. When they arrived, they waited at a private area for the birth of their child.

Shannon recounted feeling sad that she couldn’t be there at that moment when her son was experiencing his first moments in the world. She also felt guilt over the fact that another woman was having a c-section on her behalf.

Goodbye To Their Last Hope Of Having A Child

The Savages went through an equally tough time on that day. It marked their last chance at having a child naturally, and they also had to say goodbye to Logan. The Savages had some private time alone with the child, but they soon had to hand him over to his biological parents.

Sean, who was clad in scrubs, walked the child over to the Morells who were anxiously waiting to see their son. Shannon was overcome by emotion, holding this happy and healthy boy in her arms for the very first time.

Maintaining A Respectful Distance

As if carrying and honoring their word to give Logan to the Morells wasn’t enough, the Savages had a parting gift for the Morells. They gifted the couple goodies including a mini-basketball, a framed picture of Logan immediately after birth, an inscribed blanket, and the book Good Night Moon.

They also gave the Morells the videotapes documenting their son’s birth. Shannon explained that she couldn’t bring herself to watch the tapes because she wasn’t ready yet. The Savages kept their respectable distance after they parted ways and they didn’t seek any visitation rights.

A Token Of Appreciation

The two families still kept in touch through emails and the Morells continue to share photos as well as updates about Logan with the Savages. Right after they found out that Logan wasn’t theirs, the Savages had made it clear that they wouldn’t be involved in his life.

Shannon explained that she felt that Logan should always acknowledge Carolyn every Valentine’s and Mother’s Day. Shannon also decided to thank Carolyn in her own special way. She gave Carolyn a diamond necklace as a gift. However, Shannon still felt like she owed Carolyn so much more.

Offering The Same Gift

The sad fact about IVF is the fact that unwanted embryos, whether because of a defect detected during the process or another reason, are sometimes destroyed. That’s what made Carolyn’s act of selflessness even more touching given her background of difficulties in having children.

Shannon even offered to give the Savages the wonderful gift of surrogacy in return. The Savages still had five embryos that were frozen, and they could still expand their family as they intended. However, the Savages declined the offer feeling that while it was the kindest gesture, it would end up being “too freaky.”

Welcoming Their Own Little Miracles

The Savages found a woman willing to carry their child, and they started trying to expand their family through gestational surrogacy. The gestational mother had a miscarriage the first time they tried the IVF procedure. Fortunately, the number of embryos they have affords them a chance at an additional pregnancy.

As luck would have it, the Savages found out that they were expecting twins. That was the best gift they could have ever hoped for out of the entire ordeal. At that point, Logan was a 19-month healthy baby boy.

The Miracle Of Natural Conception

Their story didn’t end there, in 2014, when Carolyn was 45 years old, she found out that she was expecting their sixth child. They didn’t have to go through any form of treatment that time around. She just conceived naturally.

It was truly another miracle because about two decades had gone by without Carolyn spontaneously conceiving a child. Interestingly, Carolyn found out that she was expecting on Aprils Fools Day, and she actually thought the symptoms she was experiencing signaled menopause. While she was thrilled to find out that she had the chance to carry their own child that time around, her age made her nervous about it.

Misconception & Inconceivable – Telling Their Story About The Embryo Switch

The two sets of couples shared an incredible tale as jarring as it was, and they eventually decided to share it with the world. They had already become somewhat celebrities by making multiple appearances on various TV shows.

The Savages and Morrells both authored books describing their experiences as well as sharing their knowledge when it came to the IVF process. The Savages wrote Inconceivable while the Morells penned Misconception. Shannon shared that every couple who contemplate the IVF process should know that there are possible pitfalls that could happen. She finished that theirs was a cautionary tale that she hoped would help other couples.