A donor who has become father to around 600 children was forbidden to donate sperm

In the Netherlands, a donor who has become father to around 600 children was forbidden to donate sperm

On April 28th, a court in the Netherlands prohibited musician Jacob Meijer, suspected of being the father of 500 to 600 children, from donating his sperm to banks. He must also contact foreign banks and demand they destroy any remaining sperm they have retained. If the 41-year-old Meijer donates his sperm he could be fined 100 thousand Euros for each violation of this ruling.

According to The Donorkind Foundation, which supports families with children born from donated sperm, at least 550 children were born thanks to Meijer’s semen. A mother named Eva working with the foundation hopes that Meijer's case will lead to a ban on mass donation, including in other countries.

"We must stand hand in hand with our children and protect them from this injustice," she said.

The judge presiding over the civil case stated that Meijer "intentionally lied about his previous donations to convince parents to take him as a donor". These parents are now faced with the fact that their children are part of a huge family network with hundreds of siblings they have not chosen. This could have negative psycho-social consequences for these children.

In the Netherlands, donors should not have more than twenty-five children or impregnate more than twelve mothers. The country's authorities are considering the possibility of creating a national register of sperm donors after several similar cases.