How a Queensland couple's embryo got lost in the post for four days

Exclusive: Today, Saran Kaur's son, Ari, is simply a agleam and bubbly three-and-a-half-year-old who is afloat of personality.

"He is gorgeous - my blue-eyed, beautiful baby. He is very happy, patient and intelligent," Kaur said.

While nan Brisbane mother and lawyer marvels astatine really good her child's conception and commencement via IVF turned out, Kaur says she cannot hide 1 traumatic incident that happened successful between, which still haunts her.

For 4 stressful days, Kaur thought her hopes of having a 3rd kid were destroyed erstwhile her last six embryos were inexplicably mislaid successful nan post.

It was four-and-a-half years ago, successful November 2020, and Kaur had arranged for her embryos to beryllium flown from Melbourne to Brisbane.

The embryos were being transferred from nan session wherever she completed nan IVF treatments for her first 2 children, Melbourne IVF, to person to location astatine Monash IVF successful Brisbane.

After six months of paperwork delays, nan time yet arrived erstwhile nan embryos were to beryllium transported interstate - November 23.

That morning, Kaur said Melbourne IVF notified her that nan embryos had been picked up via a third-party courier organised by Monash IVF.

The embryos were owed to get astatine nan Brisbane session later nan aforesaid day, Kaur said, adding that she was told she would get a telephone erstwhile nan travel was complete.

Kaur said she was connected alert, but not overly concerned erstwhile she did not perceive from Monash IVF connected nan first day.

"I didn't telephone them that day. I thought, 'Oh, possibly they're busy. I'll telephone them tomorrow'," she said.

When Kaur rang Monash IVF nan adjacent morning, she was alarmed erstwhile unit could not show her wherever nan embryos were.

"They said, 'We don't cognize wherever they are. They should person arrived. They mightiness beryllium successful nan lab'. They were conscionable very vague," Kaur said.

When she did not get a telephone backmost from nan laboratory staff, Kaur said she tried to escalate her lawsuit pinch a much elder unit personnel astatine Monash IVF that aforesaid afternoon.

However, nan unit personnel could not supply immoderate much answers astir wherever nan embryos were.

"No-one knew wherever they were. I was shaking. I don't cognize what to do, because they could person been near anyplace - successful a retention shed astatine nan airport, aliases successful someone's van."

For 2 much agonising days, Kaur said she was near successful nan dark.

Kaur said what disappointment and angered her nan astir was that Monash IVF did not look to beryllium very concerned astatine all.

They should person been treating her embryos for illustration nan imaginable group they were, not conscionable a package, she said.

"You tin ideate my anxiety, and cipher was listening to me," she said.

Finally, connected November 26 - time 4 - Kaur said she sewage a telephone from Melbourne IVF.

"They told maine that my embryos had been returned location and asked what was happening," Kaur said.

Kaur said she felt alleviation to perceive that nan embryos had been found, but that alleviation was almost instantly replaced pinch worry complete whether nan embryos were okay.

A intelligence astatine Melbourne IVF past explained that nan Cryoguard parameter connected nan cannister containing nan embryos was green, indicating they had been kept astatine a suitable somesthesia and were truthful still viable.

Even so, a niggling worry would travel Kaur passim her pregnancy.

"All nan clip I was pregnant pinch my son, it was still successful nan backmost of my mind, I was wondering, what happens if they were damaged, what if my boy has a disablement aliases something?" Kaur said.

"How judge were they that they were still viable? I didn't know, until I had my boy and I could spot that he was patient - you suffer your trust."

After nan mix-up successful nan post, Kaur decided to support her embryos pinch Melbourne IVF, and completed her IVF travel there.

She lodged a title pinch Monash IVF, which investigated nan incident.

In a ineligible missive sent to Kaur via nan clinic's lawyers, seen by 9news.com.au, Monash IVF blamed Melbourne IVF and nan third-party couriers they engaged for nan confusion. 

The cannister containing nan embryos was incorrectly packaged by Melbourne IVF, nan missive said.

The embryos were past held by nan courier institution astatine its sorting facility, earlier being returned to Melbourne IVF 3 days later.

"The courier institution grounded to counsel our customer of this and it was not until November 26 that our customer was notified that nan transportation of nan embryos had not been successful.

Monash IVF had "no power complete nan circumstances", nan missive stated.

A spokesperson for Monash IVF told 9news.com.au: "We understand and admit nan patient's concerns astir what occurred. Monash IVF takes nan utmost attraction pinch nan carrier of cryopreserved material, however, successful this instance, astatine nary clip was Monash IVF successful possession of nan patient's embryos.

"We are pleased to study that nan diligent has been successful successful her IVF travel and wish her and her family each nan champion for nan future."

A spokesperson for Melbourne IVF denied nan embryos were incorrectly packaged.

"Melbourne IVF followed champion believe protocols for nan safe preparation, labelling, and packaging of this embryo transfer, which was arranged by Monash IVF utilizing their chosen third-party courier," nan spokesperson said.

"The embryos were returned to Melbourne IVF aft nan courier grounded to complete nan delivery.

"We recognise nan affectional toll this acquisition had connected nan diligent and are pleased we were capable to proceed her attraction and support a successful result astatine Melbourne IVF."

Kaur said Monash IVF should person kept her updated passim nan proscription process.

When news collapsed past period astir an IVF mix-up that saw a Brisbane female give commencement to personification else's baby aft nan incorrect embryo was transferred - besides involving a Monash IVF session successful Brisbane - Kaur said it resurfaced a batch of unpleasant memories astir her ain experience.

"When I publication astir that case, I sewage a flashback. I was thinking, 'Oh my God, that mediocre woman'," Kaur said.

Monash IVF has apologised for nan embryo transportation debacle, which was discovered successful February aft nan commencement parents asked to transportation their remaining stiff embryos to different provider.