Mom Finally Gets Pregnant After Trying For 10 Years, Then Doctor Calls And Confesses Big Mistake

Within days of discovering her pregnancy, Carolyn Savage experienced an unexpected and heartbreaking turn of events. This Ohio couple, who had faced multiple miscarriages, turned to in vitro fertilization in the hope of expanding their family. However, on February 16, 2009, they received shocking news—the frozen embryo implanted in Carolyn’s womb belonged to another couple.

Given the circumstances, Carolyn and her husband, Sean Savage, had difficult decisions to make. They could have fought for custody or considered termination. However, guided by their strong Catholic faith, Carolyn made the courageous choice to carry the baby to full term, referring to him as “Little Man” alongside Sean.

On September 24, 2009, the Savages made the heartbreaking decision to return their newborn son to his biological parents, Shannon and Paul Morell. The Morells, residents of Sterling Heights, Michigan, named him Logan.

The months that followed were filled with pain and uncertainty for the Savages. They shared their emotional journey in their newly released book, “Inconceivable,” shedding light on the depth of their experience.

Carolyn reflects on their loss, saying, “We have three children. Or do we have four? It’s a strange question, but it’s the kind that parents who have lost a child ask themselves. That absent child is always with you, a loss you feel as yearning one day and a sharp pain the next.”

Throughout Carolyn’s 36-week pregnancy with “Little Man,” both couples maintained a respectful relationship. In their own book, “Misconception,” the Morells detailed their agonizing wait, knowing that Carolyn’s history of miscarriages meant their child might never be born.

The Savages, in an interview, shared the toll this devastating mistake took on their lives. Their marriage suffered, and Carolyn was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after giving birth. Both sought counseling to cope with the aftermath.

The ambiguity of their loss posed a significant challenge. Their son had not passed away, but he was no longer theirs. Professor Pauline Boss, an expert in ambiguous loss, explained, “It’s a loss that has no closure. People struggle to resolve it because there are no rituals or sympathy cards for them.”

The mix-up occurred at a fertility clinic, which the Savages are legally prohibited from naming due to a settlement. However, the agreement required the clinic to provide a written explanation of the error.

The mistake originated when a lab employee mistakenly labeled Carolyn’s birth year as 3/19/1967 instead of 3/19/1969. This discrepancy played a pivotal role in uncovering the error. Since the embryos were stored alphabetically, accessing the “S” file led to retrieving Shannon Savage’s information sheet, which became associated with the Morells’ embryos and placed at the back of the file.

Interestingly, Carolyn noticed the incorrect birth date on the day of the transfer when a nurse attached a wrist bracelet. Though she jokingly pointed out the mistake, the nurse simply corrected it, changing the 7 to a 9.

It took nine more days for a data entry person to review the paperwork and notice the conflicting birth years, leading to the discovery of the Morells’ embryo information sheet tucked away in the file. Until then, no one had cross-checked the labels and information sheets, not even a doctor.

In the initial weeks after the embryo mix-up, the Savages confided only in their lawyer, priest, and counselor. They made quick decisions, knowing their path had taken an unexpected turn. Their story emerged shortly after an in vitro fertilization center in Louisiana was shut down due to a potential mix-up in frozen embryo labeling. Similar incidents have occurred in clinics in New York and Great Britain.

During Carolyn’s pregnancy, she encountered a potentially threatening clot in her uterus. The Savages provided regular updates to the Morells, assuring them they would not terminate the pregnancy and would never fight for custody. Nevertheless, the impact on Sean and Carolyn’s emotional well-being was immeasurable.

To date, the Savages have had two visits with Logan, now 17 months old. They have no formal agreement with the Morells regarding future visits or whether Logan will ever learn the truth about his birth. Sean expressed, “His mom and dad will decide what’s best for him.”

While the Savages have found support from their church and friends, they still navigate the weight of the situation. Carolyn describes it as having “the elephant in the living room,” with people often hesitant, fearing they might say the wrong thing.

Only recently, during their appearance on NBC’s “Today” show, did the Savages publicly discuss the true extent of what happened. As part of the settlement, the clinic agreed to implement new protocols and provide written assurances of these safeguards.

In their book, the Savages encourage individuals considering in vitro fertilization to engage in open discussions with doctors about the measures in place and how embryos are handled. Carolyn emphasized, “We were fortunate to come out of this ordeal. However, what happened—the clinic’s mistake, the pregnancy, and the loss of Logan—will stay with us for the rest of our lives. Over time, we will learn to incorporate it into our lives.”

Sean firmly stated, “It was an unacceptable, cruel situation to be put in. I want to emphasize that it was not an easy road to walk. But despite everything, we managed to overcome it, and fundamentally, our decision was the right one.”