Aggregated News

The "difficult" issue of whether the mother of a baby conceived in an in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) sperm mix-up can claim damages for the upkeep of the child was debated before a five-judge Court of Appeal yesterday.

The case, the first of its kind - and "hopefully... the last", in the words of Judge of Appeal Andrew Phang - was adjourned to a later date for further arguments.

It arose from a lawsuit filed in 2012 by a woman, now 39, against Thomson Medical, its fertility centre and two embryologists over a mix-up in sperm samples.

The mistake resulted in her having a baby girl, now four years old, with a stranger's sperm instead of her husband's.

She sought damages for various categories of claims, including for the upkeep of the child, known as Baby P in court proceedings.

They included expenses for basic necessities, education up to the tertiary level and holidays.

Last year, the defendants admitted liability for the 2010 incident.

However, ahead of the assessment of damages, the defendants asked the High Court to give a ruling on...