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A couple has shared how an at-home DNA test revealed their 13-year-old son had a different father due to an IVF clinic mix-up years ago.

Donna and Vanner Johnson from Salt Lake City appeared on *This Morning* to recount the surprising discovery of their son’s true genetic lineage. They were joined by Devin McNeil, their son’s biological father, and his wife Kelly.

The Johnsons explained to Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield that although their teenage sons, Vanner Jr. and Tim, have distinct personalities, they had never questioned their genetic connection until they decided to take the DNA test “just for fun.”

On the show to encourage others to “ask more questions” about IVF treatments, the couple shared how their story has ended on a positive note. Their son Tim reacted to the news of his genetic heritage with the reassuring words: “Really? Well, you’re still my Dad.”

Donna and Vanner Johnson (pictured on This Morning today), from Salt Lake City, underwent IVF in 2007, after their first son Vanner Jr was concieved naturally, welcoming their son Tim after a second successful round

Donna and Vanner Johnson (pictured on *This Morning* today), from Salt Lake City, underwent IVF in 2007 after conceiving their first son, Vanner Jr., naturally. They welcomed their son Tim following a second successful IVF attempt.

The Johnsons decided to do a family DNA test 'for fun' but were shocked to discover that their son Tim's heritage came back with 'unknown father' on it - they were led to Devin and Kelly McNeil, pictured, with Devin revealed to be Tim's biological father

The Johnsons decided to take a family DNA test “for fun,” but were stunned to find that the results listed their son Tim’s heritage as having an “unknown father.” This led them to Devin and Kelly McNeil (pictured), with Devin revealed to be Tim’s biological father.
Friends: The families met up after establishing an online friendship and sharing photos - Devin, right, Tim's biological father said the meeting was 'really great'

**Friends Reunite:** The families connected online and exchanged photos before meeting in person. Devin (right), Tim’s biological father, described the meeting as “really great.”

Tim’s mother, Donna Johnson, shared with the presenters how her second son was conceived via IVF at the University of Utah Center for Reproductive Medicine in 2007, following the natural birth of their first child. She recalled that while Tim was “a delightful baby, a cranky baby… but we were so happy to have him,” they didn’t question his genetic background despite noticing the distinct personalities of their two sons.

Vanner added that the decision to take the home DNA test came when Tim was 11.

He said: ‘We were curious about ourselves and the DNA and what genes you inherit from your parents – we thought it would be fun to see the boys see that.’

However, the test came back for Tim with the words ‘biological father – unknown’.

Vanner said he never questioned his wife’s fidelity because it was obviously an IVF mix-up and the couple decided to take more tests – without telling their son why.

It was quickly established that the mix-up was 'only one way' but that Devin, from Colorado, was 100 per cent the biological father of Tim

It was soon confirmed that the mix-up was “one-sided,” with Devin from Colorado being identified as Tim’s biological father with 100 percent certainty.

Appearing on This Morning today, the two couples say they've had a happy ending with Vanner continuing to raise Tim as his son

Appearing on *This Morning* today, both couples shared that their story has had a happy ending, with Vanner continuing to raise Tim as his son.

The DNA test results ultimately led them to Devin and Kelly McNeill in Colorado, confirming beyond any doubt that Devin was Tim’s biological father. Devin remarked on the unexpected news, saying, “That’s not a call you expect. I didn’t really believe it at first. It took multiple conversations before we confirmed it was true.”

Vanner recounted the moment he told Tim, during a drive to get ice cream, that he wasn’t genetically related to him. He described it as “really sweet” when Tim responded, “Really? Well, you’re still my Dad.”

After establishing a connection through phone calls and exchanging photos, the two families decided to meet in person.

 

Vanner, who is raising Tim as his own son, told the show that his son told him: 'Really? Well, you're still my Dad' when he was told the news

Vanner, who is raising Tim as his own son, shared on the show that when Tim learned the news, he simply said, “Really? Well, you’re still my Dad.”

Both the Johnsons and the McNeils have filed a lawsuit against the clinic that treated them in 2017

Both the Johnsons and the McNeils have filed a lawsuit against the clinic that treated them in 2017.

Devin described his first meeting with Tim as “really great” and shared that he was overwhelmed with questions about his teenage years. He recounted Tim asking, “How tall were you? Did you have braces? How fast can you type?”

The couples are now pursuing damages from the clinic through their lawsuit.

A spokesperson for the clinic told *This Morning*: “While we cannot discuss specific patient cases or ongoing litigation without consent, ensuring the safety and care of our patients is our top priority. If patients raise concerns about their care, we review our procedures and make necessary adjustments to prevent future issues. Our providers and staff are committed to delivering excellent care and continually improving our practices.”

How does IVF work?

In-vitro fertilisation, known as IVF, is a medical procedure in which a woman has an already-fertilised egg inserted into her womb to become pregnant.

It is used when couples are unable to conceive naturally, and a sperm and egg are removed from their bodies and combined in a laboratory before the embryo is inserted into the woman.

Once the embryo is in the womb, the pregnancy should continue as normal.

The procedure can be done using eggs and sperm from a couple or those from donors.

Guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that IVF should be offered on the NHS to women under 43 who have been trying to conceive through regular unprotected sex for two years.

People can also pay for IVF privately, which costs an average of £3,348 for a single cycle, according to figures published in January 2018, and there is no guarantee of success.

The NHS says success rates for women under 35 are about 29 per cent, with the chance of a successful cycle reducing as they age.

Around eight million babies are thought to have been born due to IVF since the first ever case, British woman Louise Brown, was born in 1978.

Chances of success

The success rate of IVF depends on the age of the woman undergoing treatment, as well as the cause of the infertility (if it’s known).

Younger women are more likely to have a successful pregnancy.

IVF isn’t usually recommended for women over the age of 42 because the chances of a successful pregnancy are thought to be too low.

Between 2014 and 2016 the percentage of IVF treatments that resulted in a live birth was:

29 per cent for women under 35

23 per cent for women aged 35 to 37

15 per cent for women aged 38 to 39

9 per cent for women aged 40 to 42

3 per cent for women aged 43 to 44

2 per cent for women aged over 44

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