Frozen embryos belonging to one patient went missing from a Fertility Associates clinic in Auckland last year. <\/p>\n
Fertility Associates chief medical officer Andrew Murray told 1News the incident involved a patient being treated at the group’s Auckland clinic in October 2025. <\/p>\n
On discovering the embryos were missing, the family was immediately informed, updated, “despite not having all of the definitive answers”. <\/p>\n
Fertility Associates have been unable to locate the patient\u2019s embryos or confirm how they went missing.<\/p>\n
No other patients were affected by the incident, and Murray confirmed with “absolute confidence” that no embryos had been transferred to another person. <\/p>\n
“We understand the anxiety and concern a missing embryo would create. We know how much emotional energy goes into the IVF process, and have sincerely apologised to the family,” he said. <\/p>\n
“Transfers in the period in question have been audited \u2013 both human and electronic witnessing have confirmed no other issues occurred.<\/p>\n
“A recent audit of our Auckland clinic has also confirmed there are no additional missing embryos.” <\/p>\n
In an FAQ section on its website about the incident, Fertility Associates could not say how many embryos went missing but explained how they were stored. <\/p>\n
It said each embryo is stored in a “straw”. Up to 10 of these straws are stored in a “coloured goblet” which is inside a canister. Each goblet contains one patient’s material. <\/p>\n
“It is a coloured goblet which cannot be found,” the website read. <\/p>\n
Do you know more? Email jack.horsnell@tvnz.co.nz<\/p>\n
Murray said the organisation had undertaken an “exhaustive and methodical” investigation, engaging with an independent international laboratory expert to audit its gamete and embryo storage and transfer processes.<\/p>\n
During the investigation, each embryo tank was inspected to confirm that the goblets were there. <\/p>\n
“We then also confirmed that each goblet had the number of expected straws and that a straw was labelled with the correct patient identifiers,” Fertility Associates said. <\/p>\n
Murray said the investigation found its processes were “robust and secure, in line with international best practice”.<\/p>\n
The organisation’s website says it has individual swipe-card access and CCTV in the laboratory. <\/p>\n
Locations of samples were recorded individually, and each storage tank was continuously monitored to ensure that temperature was maintained. <\/p>\n
Murray said the organisation was “committed” to strengthening its laboratory systems and governance across all sites. <\/p>\n
The Auckland clinic’s frozen embryo storage had been moved to a “new, larger, dedicated area” of its Greenlane building. <\/p>\n
“We are also enhancing senior laboratory oversight and reinforcing training, quality assurance, and internal reporting mechanisms,” Murray said. <\/p>\n
He apologised to families who may be concerned by the news but said it was “important to us that you receive this information directly and are reassured that no other patients are involved in this incident”.<\/p>\n
“The relationship we have with our patients is built on trust, and we appreciate that trust has been shaken through this situation.”<\/p>\n
In Australia last year, a major mix-up at Monash IVF’s Brisbane clinic resulted in a woman giving birth<\/a> to a baby that was not genetically hers.<\/p>\n