NEW DELHI: A woman from Idaho, Sharon Hayes, has filed a lawsuit against a fertility doctor, David R. Claypool, alleging that he secretly used his own sperm for her insemination 34 years ago.
Sharon Hayes, now 67 and residing in Hauser, Idaho, sought fertility treatment from David R. Claypool, an obstetrician and gynecologist based in Spokane, Washington, back in 1989. She had expressed her preference for an anonymous sperm donor during her treatment, as reported by CBS News.
However, the complaint filed on Wednesday in Spokane County Superior Court revealed that Claypool allegedly provided deceptive information, assuring Hayes that the donor selection would be based on specific traits she requested, such as hair and eye colour. He further assured her that chosen donors would undergo health and genetic screenings.
The lawsuit also alleged that the doctor charged Ms. Hayes $100 in cash for each of several treatments, claiming that the money was intended for college or medical students who were donating the sperm. However, last year, Hayes’s 33-year-old daughter, Brianna Hayes, learned the shocking truth about her biological father after submitting her DNA to the genetic testing and ancestry website 23andMe.
According to the Associated Press, Brianna Hayes described the experience as an “identity crisis” and expressed her deep trauma, saying, “This was hidden from me my whole life. I felt traumatised for my mom, and the fact that I’m a product of his actions is off-putting.”
What adds to the astonishing nature of this case is the revelation that Brianna has at least 16 other half-siblings in the same area. It remains unclear whether any other women are pursuing legal claims against Claypool. This shocking revelation of multiple half-siblings highlights the potential scale of the alleged fertility fraud.
“Fertility fraud” cases have gained attention as online DNA services have become more prevalent. Last year, The New York Times reported that more than 50 US fertility doctors had been accused of fraudulent practices related to donated sperm. The Hayes case underscores the need for tighter regulations and oversight within the fertility industry to protect patients’ rights and ensure the ethical and transparent practice of reproductive medicine.