French Sperm Donor Fathered Up to 160 Children, Sparking Inbreeding Fears

OPA WIRE, Nov 12 (OPA) — The 38-year-old law student, identified only by the pseudonym Josephine, began investigating her origins after a lecture on paternity. Confronting her mother, she learned she was conceived through a sperm donation. Further inquiries led her to a prominent doctor in Toulouse belonging to the Pied-Noir community who had an Italian name.

Upon approaching him, the man admitted to donating sperm every ten days for two decades. A gynecologist friend of the donor estimated his donations could have resulted in up to 160 offspring. Following local media coverage, Josephine received dozens of inquiries daily, eventually connecting with 17 half-sisters through DNA testing and social media.

France had virtually no legislation regulating sperm donation during the 1970s, creating an unregulated environment where donors could contribute extensively without tracking mechanisms. Josephine noted that one half-sister shared her exact academic path and master's degree program at the same university, heightening concerns about undocumented familial overlap.

With Toulouse housing a population of 534,000, Josephine warns that the high concentration of half-siblings creates serious risks of accidental consanguinity in future generations. She is currently working with the PMAnonyme Association to encourage individuals born in Toulouse during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s with suspected donor paternity to verify their origins.