IVF Mix Up in Florida
A Central Florida couple is continuing a high stakes legal battle after discovering that the baby they carried to term through in vitro fertilization is not genetically related to either of them. The case is unfolding in court and raising urgent questions about embryo tracking, medical oversight, and parental rights in the fertility industry.
The Shocking Discovery
According to court filings, the woman underwent IVF treatment in April 2025 at IVF Life Inc., also known as the Fertility Center of Orlando. The couple had created three embryos using their own egg and sperm and believed one of those embryos was transferred. In December 2025, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Soon after the birth, however, the parents began to question whether something was wrong. The baby’s physical traits did not appear consistent with either parent. Genetic testing confirmed their fears: the child has no biological connection to them. The couple, identified in court documents as Tiffany Score and Steven Mills, allege that the clinic transferred another couple’s embryo by mistake.
Lawsuit Filed Against Clinic and Doctor
In January, the couple filed a lawsuit against IVF Life Inc. and Dr. Milton McNichol, the clinic’s lead reproductive endocrinologist. They are seeking emergency court intervention to determine how the mix up occurred and to identify the baby’s biological parents. The couple also wants to know what happened to their own embryos, which remain frozen at the clinic. They have asked the court to require the clinic to notify other patients who underwent embryo transfers during the relevant time period and to provide genetic testing if necessary. During recent hearings, a judge ordered ongoing status updates as the investigation continues. Attorneys for the clinic have indicated that privacy laws, including HIPAA, complicate the process of identifying and contacting other potential families involved.
Searching for the Baby’s Biological Parents
At the center of the lawsuit is the couple’s effort to locate the child’s genetic parents. In court filings, they state that while they love and care for the baby they brought into the world, they believe the biological parents deserve to know the truth. The situation also raises the possibility that the couple’s own embryo may have been transferred to another patient. Their attorneys are asking the court to compel the clinic to conduct a broader review of embryo storage and transfer procedures and to notify any affected families over the past several years.
Broader Implications for the Fertility Industry
IVF procedures rely on strict identification and chain of custody protocols to ensure embryos are properly labeled, stored, and transferred. Errors are considered rare, but when they occur, the emotional and legal consequences are profound. The United States fertility industry operates under a mix of federal guidelines and state regulations, with significant responsibility placed on individual clinics to maintain compliance and laboratory standards. Cases like this renew calls for stronger oversight and standardized reporting requirements. For this Florida couple, the legal fight is about more than compensation. It is about answers. It is about accountability. And it is about untangling the unimaginable reality that the child they carried and delivered is not genetically theirs. As the court proceedings continue, the case stands as a sobering reminder of how a single laboratory error can permanently alter multiple families’ lives.
