The doctor who cheated and pregnant 56 women with his own sperm

Assisted reproduction techniques have evolved significantly since the birth of Louise Brown, the first girl conceived in the world by in vitro fertilization, July 25, 1978 in England. Since then, thousands of women around the world have become mothers through advances in medicine, either because their health problems or those of their partner prevented them from conceiving, or because their personal circumstances did not allow them to do so. to have a child. natural

Now, after 40 years of using these techniques, they start to bloom cases of irregularities who forever marked the women who relied on drugs to fulfill their dream of becoming mothers. In a thorough investigation, the New York Times managed to talk to the victims of several private doctors who, decades ago they decided not to use sperm from donors or couples and chose to use their own. The cases of clinics involved dot several US states (Connecticut, Vermont, Idaho, Utah, and Nevada), European countries (England, Germany, and the Netherlands), Canada, and South Africa.

The case of the German doctor Jan Karbaat It is one of the most bleeding. Authorities confirmed by DNA tests that the doctor, already deceased, was the father of at least 56 children of patients They trusted him to get pregnant. "Thirty years ago, things were very different. Maybe Dr. Karbaat was an anonymous donor and we do not know. There is no trace of the time, "explained the family's attorney at The New York Times.

A few months ago, in Ontario (Canada), we found another case of a doctor who used his sperm 11 cases of artificial insemination. Apparently, he would have tried to convince one of his patients that he was using it mixed with another in order to come up with a perfect formula responsible for the success of the pregnancy. Health authorities have described "Incredible and reprehensible" the explanations that he offered to his patient.

"The problem is that far from looking like bad rotten apples, it was a more generalized practice that we thought was hidden under the stigma and failures of protocol," explained the biotechnologist Dov Fox of the University of San Diego.

The DNA tests performed on 61 people in the city of Indianapolis make it possible to ensure that they are all children of the doctor Donald Cline. The doctor pleaded guilty and admitted that he lied to the investigators but was found guilty of withdrawing his medical license for only one year. Convictions are so ridiculous because In most states, the law did not provide for this type of crime.

Now, legislators are putting the batteries in place, and in states like Texas, laws have been pbaded that consider these types of practices as criminal and characterize them as such. badual abuse. Other states, like California, are moving in the same direction. There is an important debate about whether the injection of sperm without consent into a woman's bad can be considered a violation, even if it is a serious problem. a medical procedure.

All these cases come to light because in the United States it has become fashionable to take domestic DNA tests to better know the ancestors.

"You build your whole life on the basis of a genetic identity and suddenly, when all of that collapses and you change it, it can be devastating," said one of the victims at the time. reporter Jacqueline Mroz of the Times. "After pbading a DNA test, I checked that she was the doctor's daughter. When I gave it to my mother felt violated. I'm trying to cope with everything that has happened to me. I am facing a very strong identity crisis, "said another woman.

Victims' lawyers agree that we must reach the end and not fail to investigate other cases that have not yet been disclosed. It is important to know in depth what happened so that it will not happen again in the future.