Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2025

Decades-Old Hospital Mix-Ups Uncovered Through Home DNA Testing

Recent revelations highlight multiple cases of infants being inadvertently switched at birth in the mid-20th century, brought to light by modern genetic testing.
In recent years, several individuals have discovered they were inadvertently switched at birth during the mid-20th century, with these revelations emerging through modern home DNA testing kits.

In one instance, a woman in her mid-70s, referred to as Susan, undertook a home DNA test to explore her ancestry.

The results revealed significant Irish heritage, which conflicted with her known family background.

Six years later, she was contacted by a man claiming to be her genetic sibling.

Subsequent investigations confirmed that Susan had been swapped at birth in an NHS maternity ward during the 1950s.

Another case involved two women in the West Midlands who discovered they had been switched at birth in 1967. Tony, who had taken a DNA test in 2021, found that Claire was his full biological sister, not Jessica, the woman he had known as his sister for over five decades.

Both women were born in the same hospital, and a mix-up led to them being raised by each other's biological families.

The hospital admitted the mistake, and the families are awaiting compensation.

In Norway, a similar situation unfolded when Karen Rafteseth Dokken gave birth in 1965 at Eggesboenes Hospital.

Nearly 60 years later, it was discovered that her biological daughter had been mistakenly swapped with another infant.

Both women, now 59, along with Rafteseth Dokken, are suing the state and municipality, arguing that their human rights were breached when Norwegian authorities discovered the error in 1981 but chose to cover it up.

These cases underscore the potential for historical errors in hospital maternity wards, particularly during periods when identification protocols were less stringent than today.

The advent of accessible DNA testing has been pivotal in uncovering these long-hidden mistakes, prompting legal actions and raising questions about past medical practices.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
×