Embryo Mix-Up Anxiety: Understanding IVF Lab Protocols and Safeguards

I had an embryo transfer last week, and since then, I’ve been feeling some irrational fear and anxiety about the possibility of another couple’s embryo being transferred instead of mine. After going down a rabbit hole, I came across cases where mistakes have happened in the past—where parents only realized after birth that their baby wasn’t biologically theirs.

I know this is probably a silly concern, but I wanted to ask about the protocols in place to ensure that such mix-ups don’t happen. How do embryologists verify and track embryos with absolute certainty? What safeguards exist to prevent errors? And in cases where mistakes have happened at certain clinics, how could those errors have occurred?

On the day of my transfer, they only verified my name, which is very common (like Jones or Smith), and I had no way of personally confirming that the embryo was mine. I’d really appreciate any insight you can share on the rigorous procedures in place that I may not be aware of. Thank you!