Queensland Fertility Group accused of using wrong sperm

An Australian couple is suing their fertility clinic for providing the wrong sperm to conceive two of their children.

Anastasia and Lexie Gunn sought treatment with donor sperm through Queensland Fertility Group (QFG) to have a family. They selected a donor, paying particular attention to health, and subsequently had a son. When the Gunns wanted to grow their family they requested the same donor again. However, after their two younger sons were both diagnosed with serious health conditions, including autism spectrum disorder, a DNA test revealed that they had a different genetic father from their older son.

'We wanted them all to have the same biological father to tie them together so that then when they have children, their children are all tied together with biological history,' Anastasia said.

QFG denied any mistake and claims its records show the same donor was used for all three children. They subsequently released a statement saying they are: 'unable to make public comments about the details of the Gunn family's legal claim while they are being considered by the Court.'

The Gunns have confirmed the DNA test result with a court-sanctioned, accredited lab. In an ABC News In Depth feature, the Gunns revealed they pieced the story together: their original donor (Donor 227) delivered his sample on the same day as another donor (Donor 222). Their two younger sons share a half-sibling match with other children whose parents used Donor 222.

ABC also spoke to three other mothers whose children were conceived using donor sperm and were later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and hypermobility. Each reported the diagnoses to the clinic, including Danielle Patorniti who spoke to QFG in 2019. After she reported her child's condition, she pushed for other families who used the same specimen to be notified. QFG refused.

According to QFG, in 2021, two families reported their children were diagnosed with autism. The clinic contacted their donor who confirmed he had no family history of the condition. The clinic reviewed the results with a geneticist who identified 'no clinical requirement to notify other families who conceived children using the donor's sperm'.

However, after a third family reported their children's conditions in 2023, the clinic decided to notify families who had used the same donor of the diagnoses and decided 'that the donor's sperm should only be available for family extension.' It is unclear how many families may be affected.

The Gunn's legal process is currently ongoing. They reported QFG to the national regulator who has declined to investigate. However, the Queensland Office of the Health Ombudsman has opened an investigation into the complaints.