Shocking! Fertility doctor accused of secretly impregnating woman with his own sperm

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• Dec 14, 2023 | Dhupali Das

The startling revelation came to light earlier this year when Bester, through a DNA test, discovered Dr. Berger to be her...

Digital Desk: In a shocking revelation that has sent ripples through the medical community, a retired fertility doctor, Dr. Merle Berger, formerly associated with Boston IVF and a distinguished figure at Harvard Medical School, is being sued by a woman who accuses him of using his sperm for her insemination more than four decades ago. The lawsuit, filed in the US district court in Boston, claims that Dr. Berger covertly impregnated Sarah Depoia, a patient seeking fertility assistance in 1980.

Depoia, recounting her experience, stated that she and her husband sought Dr. Berger's help to conceive. Assured that an anonymous donor, resembling her husband, would provide the sperm, she alleges that Dr. Berger utilized his own instead. Consequently, her daughter, Carolyn Bester, was born in January 1981 as a result of this procedure.

The startling revelation came to light earlier this year when Bester, through a DNA test, discovered Dr. Berger to be her biological father. Genetic matches with Dr. Berger's relatives further corroborated this revelation.

Expressing her profound shock, Bester stated, "To say I was shocked when I figured this out would be an extreme understatement. It feels like reality has shifted."

Legal representative Adam Wolf, speaking on behalf of Mrs. Depoia, condemned Dr. Berger's actions, branding them as "horrific" and likening it to "medical rape." Mrs. Depoia herself expressed her anguish, stating, "This is an extreme violation. I trusted Dr. Berger fully. We thought he would act responsibly and ethically."

In response to the lawsuit, Dr. Berger's attorney released a statement defending his client's legacy as a fertility pioneer, emphasizing the evolving landscape of fertility treatments over 40 years ago. Dismissing the allegations as lacking factual merit and evolving inconsistently over time, Dr. Berger's legal team asserted their intent to disprove the claims in court.

This disturbing incident adds to a string of similar accusations against fertility doctors utilizing their own sperm in patient inseminations. While the case unfolds, it casts a pall over the ethical considerations and regulations within the fertility treatment landscape, highlighting the need for stringent oversight and accountability in assisted reproductive technologies.

The lawsuit against Dr. Berger brings to the forefront not only the alleged misconduct but also prompts reflection on the evolving ethical standards and responsibilities within the medical field, especially in sensitive areas like fertility treatment.