Court won’t hear sperm donor suit

Boston Globe ^ | 10/1/2009 | John R. Ellement

[Saije]

The state Appeals Court asked lawmakers yesterday to take on complex legal questions now surfacing about anonymous sperm donors and the children conceived through science.

In a ruling issued yesterday, the court refused to become involved in a Suffolk Probate and Family Court case in which the mother of twin daughters, known only as Jane Doe, is demanding that the New England Cryogenic Center Inc. identify a sperm donor known only as D237...

Jane Doe represented herself before the court and could not be reached for comment.

...according to McHugh’s ruling, D237 sold his sperm between 1992 and 1994 when he was in his 20s and a Boston medical student...

Jane Doe purchased the sperm in 1999. She was artificially inseminated in a London hospital and gave birth to twin daughters on Feb. 2, 2001. In 2005, she asked New England Cryogenic for D237’s identity, which the center refused to provide. She was evicted from her London home and moved back to the United States, the court said.

In 2006, Jane Doe sought the donor’s identity so he could be required to pay child support and to provide updated genetic information because the twin girls had been diagnosed with “ectodermal dysplasia, from which she claims the twins are suffering and for which genetic information from both parents may be helpful in treating.’’

Ectodermal dysplasia is a group of conditions in which there is abnormal development of the skin, hair, nails, teeth, or sweat glands.

Jane Doe voluntarily placed the twins in the custody of the state Department of Children and Families.

A guardian ad litem, or person appointed by the court to represent the minors, will investigate the health of the girls and undertake a possible search for a genetic link to D237.

[Saije]

Unless I'm misreading this article this woman doesn't even have the children anymore. But can you imagine being that former student who was probably just looking for a way to make some quick cash and years later have this woman and her twins show up at the door looking for child support?

[pleasenoobama]

Artificial insemination is immoral and unnatural. Both the father and the mother have committed a sin.

[Slings and Arrows]

In 2006, Jane Doe sought the donor’s identity so he could be required to pay child support

Exactly why I will never donate sperm.

[Ford4000]

I almost hope she wins. Putting the sperm banks out of business would be a good thing since they seem to be used mostly by crazy single women and lesbians.