Lawyers Helping North Carolina Residents Harmed by Defective IVF Embryo Solution
In late 2023, three bad batches of an important component of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) known as "culture media" caused healthy human embryos in North Carolina fertility clinics to halt development. Individuals and couples in North Carolina aiming to conceive through IVF lost not only these precious embryos but also all the effort, time and money they had invested to that point. Individuals and couples who lost embryos in North Carolina as a result of CooperSurgical's defective IVF culture media are filing claims against the company to recover damages. This page provides a comprehensive look at the role of embryo solution in the IVF process, how CooperSurgical's culture media went wrong, and details on filing a defective IVF culture media lawsuit for North Carolina residents.
Residents of North Carolina Ask What is IVF Culture Media?
Culture media is a medical product sold to North Carolina clinics by fertility supply companies that is designed to mimic the environment in the human uterus. Also known as embryo solution, culture media is used in North Carolina during a type of assisted reproduction known as in-vitro fertilization, or IVF. IVF is often described as a harrowing process, exposing individuals to physical discomfort, pain, and emotional distress over the course of weeks or months.
An expensive process, IVF in North Carolina relies on numerous medical products and devices to achieve pregnancy. The basic steps of IVF include:
- Stimulate Egg Production: In the first step of IVF, North Carolina patients receive hormonal treatment and other medications to stimulate the body to make multiple mature eggs.
- Egg Retrieval: Ultrasound and blood tests are used to determine the presence of mature eggs, which are then collected from the ovaries through a process called egg retrieval. A needle is guided via ultrasound to extract the eggs.
- Fertilization: Next, the eggs are fertilized with sperm in a lab setting. Various methods may be used to increase the odds of success at this stage.
- Implantation: Lastly, one or more healthy embryos are then implanted into the uterus. Along the way, genetic and viability testing is completed.
Defective IVF Embryo Solution in North Carolina Clinics
Fertilization is the point in the process where IVF culture media comes into use, providing the environment for fertilization to take place. If the formula is not perfectly calibrated, all the effort up to this point will be lost. CooperSurgical released three lots of defective IVF embryo solution to clinics in North Carolina and around the nation that halted the healthy development of thousands of embryos.
- ZYGOTE: Within three days after fertilization, a healthy fertilized egg (known as a zygote) will have divided into 6-10 cells.
- BLASTOCYST: By Day 5 after fertilization, the embryo advances to the blastocyst phase, in which the cells are rapidly dividing, forming the embryo and an outer protective layer.
In order for this development to progress to the stage of a healthy embryo that can be implanted, the culture media must be formulated perfectly. The pH must exactly match the pH found in a healthy uterus, and an array of nutrients must be present. In the case of CooperSurgical's defective IVF embryo solution, a lack of magnesium prevented the healthy embryos of North Carolina couples from advancing from fertilized eggs to rapidly-dividing blastocysts. The company has not released information about how this oversight occurred or why it was not detected before the product reached the market.
CooperSurgical Recall for Defective IVF Culture Media - Information for North Carolina Residents
It took the loss of hundreds or even thousands of healthy human embryos in North Carolina and around the nation for CooperSurgical to notice a problem with its IVF culture media. In November and December of 2023, the company received reports from embryologists in North Carolina and around the country that embryos were failing to develop past the zygote, or fertilized egg, stage when CooperSurgical's IVF culture media was used. By mid-December, based on this pattern of reports, the company quietly issued its IVf culture media recall to clinics in North Carolina and elsewhere that had made use of this defective product.
In damage-control mode, CooperSurgical notified fertility clinics of its IVF embryo solution recall. The recall notice asked clients in North Carolina to stop using three lots of the IVf culture media and requested the defective product be sent back for a refund. No information about communicating with patients in North Carolina was included in the CooperSurgical culture media recall. This is surprising given that CooperSurgical claims individuals and couples who are struggling to conceive are at the heart of their mission. It was not until the FDA issued a Class 2 Global Medical Device Recall for CooperSurgical IVF culture media in February of 2024 that North Carolina residents became aware of the problem.
It is no surprise that North Carolina individuals who lost embryos as a result of the defective embryo solution would be devastated. What is shocking is that a company that claims to have individuals suffering from infertility at the heart of its mission would so callously avoid communication about its mistakes. Individuals and couples who lost one or more embryos in North Carolina are now filing claims against CooperSurgical to recover compensation for damages. For some North Carolina residents, the promise of holding CooperSurgical accountable matters more than the potential for compensation.
Let Our CooperSurgical IVF Lawyers Serving North Carolina Help You
Our attorneys serving North Carolina residents specialize in holding large corporations accountable when they've placed profits ahead of safety. Through settlements and winning verdicts, our attorneys have obtained millions for our clients. Let us help you today.
IVF Embryo Loss Lawsuits for North Carolina Residents
Filing a lawsuit will allow you to hold CooperSurgical accountable for the loss of your embryos, while also providing real compensation for the emotional anguish and costs associated with your loss. Contact us today for a free consultation.
No-Cost, No-Obligation Embryo Loss Lawsuit Case Review for North Carolina Residents
