Her biological father’s sperm produced at least 57 children

Photo by Ian on Unsplash

Maria, a 21-year-old Dutch woman is suing to identify her sperm donor father. At the time of conception, her biological father agreed to be contacted. But he withdrew his permission later on, as the woman discovered when she tried to get in touch in 2017.

The donor is known only as K34. The Rijnstate hospital in Arnhem is shielding his identity. It appears that at least 57 children have been conceived with his sperm. Maria has been in touch with 13 of them – but she is the only one who is going to court. It seems that this is the first time that a person conceived with donor sperm has had recourse to the courts to uncover the secret of her identity.

“The image I had of him was always fairly standard: a friendly gentleman who helped my mother to have a child”, the young woman told Volkskrant. “Over the past years the desire to know who he is became stronger. And why shouldn't I want to know? He is part of my identity.”

Michael Cook is editor of BioEdge

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Michael Cook

Michael Cook edits BioEdge, a bioethics newsletter, and MercatorNet, an on-line magazine whose focus is human dignity. He writes from Sydney, Australia.

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