Dutch doctor secretly fathered 49 children, used to replace sperm of donors with his own

Dr Jan Karbaat, who died in 2017, used his own sperm instead of the chosen donor to father 49 children.

The results were revealed after DNA tests were conducted at a hospital in Nijmegen. (Representational Image)

A Dutch doctor has been caught in the middle of an IVF scandal that revealed he secretly fathered at least 49 children, using his sperm instead of the probable donors, an organization that represented parents and children born in the Dutch doctor's now-closed clinic in Rotterdam said.

Dr. Jan Karbaat, who died in 2017, used his own sperm instead of the chosen donor to father 49 children, said Defence for Children according to a Dutch daily newspaper NRC.

"The results confirm serious suspicions that Karbaat used his own sperm at his clinic," Defence for Children was quoted as saying in the report.

The daily report stated that Karbaat later "admitted to mixing sperm from various donors and issuing fraudulent donor documentation".

The results were revealed after DNA tests were conducted at a hospital in Nijmegen. It said the 49 children are "direct descendants" of Dr Jan Karbaat.

Earlier, few children who suspected Karbaat to be their father dragged his family to the court to reveal the doctor's DNA details. However, Karbaat's family denied the allegations and argued in court that the late doctor's privacy should be respected.

The court, after hearing the matter, ordered that Karbaat's DNA details be released as it placed the "children's rights above those of Karbaat and his family".

The Defence for Children went on to say that there is a possibility that Karbat had fathered more than 49 children. "Sperm belonging to the late doctor was also distributed to other clinics," Defence for Children was quoted as saying by Dutch news agency ANP.