Barcodes to stop IVF lab mix-ups

The unit is the biggest NHS fertility treatment provider in the UK

Doctors at Liverpool Women's Hospital have helped develop a barcode system to prevent mix-ups in IVF treatment.

The system works by providing a unique barcode specific to each patient's treatment, which is then used to label all equipment used for them.

Dr Stephen Troup, scientific director at the hospital's Hewitt Centre, was involved in developing the coding which avoids repetitive checks by staff.

It was used for the first time for patients in Liverpool.

Dr Troup believes that the finished product, Matcher, should prevent mix-ups with eggs and sperm at clinics.

In 2002 in Leeds a white woman gave birth to black twins after a mistake at a fertility centre.

'Never wrong'

The system also produces an ID card containing photographs of the patients which they carry with them for the entire treatment.

Karen Schnauffer, lead clinical embryologist at the Hewitt Centre, has been heavily involved in the project for the past five years after the clinic was approached by technology company IMT.

She said: "It has been extremely exciting to have been involved in the development of this technology within our field where, obviously, any mistake can be devastating.

"The beauty of this machine is that it should never get it wrong.

"The use of electronic witnessing is also much less distracting for embryologists who have to concentrate on their work extremely carefully.

"I'm also pleased that electronic witnessing is now included in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's Code of Practice - that was largely due to us pushing the fact that this machine can provide us with the sort of reliable witnessing that we need."

The Hewitt Centre is the largest NHS fertility service provider in the UK and carries out 1,5000 treatments a year.