New York Couple Sues Hospital For Destroying Frozen Embryos

An Astoria, New York, couple is suing a Long Island hospital after they say that the hospital destroyed their frozen embryos without their permission.

According to the New York Post, Sajid and Abida Mahmood have filed a NY medical malpractice lawsuit against the North Shore Long Island Jewish Center for Human reproduction. The lawsuit, which was filed in Nassau County Supreme Court, alleges that the couple attempted to collect 14 frozen embryos from the hospital after they decided to change doctors, but were told that they had been thawed and destroyed.

Last year, the couple saw Dr. Matthew Cohen, who extracted 18 eggs from Mahmood and fertilized them. Sixteen eggs were successfully fertilized. In two separate procedures, two eggs each were implanted in Mahmood over the last year. Neither procedure resulted in a pregnancy.

A spokesperson from the hospital said that the destruction of the embryos was the result of a misunderstanding.