Dutch fertility clinic exceeded legal donor limits for over a decade
The Medisch Centrum Kinderwens (Fertility Medical Center, MCK), a major fertility clinic in Leiderdorp, deliberately exceeded legal donor limits for more than ten years, creating at least 36 mass donors, according to an investigation by NOS Nieuwsuur. This practice affected over 900 mothers and approximately 1,200 children conceived between 2006 and 2017 — none of whom were informed about the excessive use of individual sperm donors.
The investigation revealed that starting in 2006, Medical Center Kinderwens asked sperm donors to agree to donations for 25 families, not the legally allowed maximum of 12 families per donor. These agreements were formalized in contracts, violating Dutch regulations. The policy led to sperm from single donors being used far beyond the permitted limits.
Stichting Donorkind, a foundation representing donor-conceived children, condemned Medical Center Kinderwens’s actions as "criminal child trafficking," expressing deep concern over the ethical and legal breaches.
Earlier this year, NOS Nieuwsuur exposed that since 2004, there have been at least 85 mass donors across multiple Dutch fertility clinics. Medical Center Kinderwens topped the list with at least 38 identified mass donors.
Medical Center Kinderwens’s current management, which took over in 2015, allegedly consciously chose not to inform donors or parents about these violations. Wouter van Inzen, director of Medical Center Kinderwens, explained to NOS the breach as driven by "a shortage of donors, high demand from mothers seeking donor sperm, and a preference for siblings from the same donor within one family."
The Health and Youth Care Inspectorate has received two formal complaints related to this issue. A spokesperson told RTL Nieuws, "We are considering the next steps and whether a further investigation is necessary."
Demissionary Secretary of State Karremans, responsible for Youth, Prevention, and Sport (VVD), responded to the news as "horrifying." He acknowledged the situation likely causes "questions, concerns, and certainly anger among those involved who were unaware of this deviation from the guidelines."
Karremans added that the Inspectorate is reviewing oversight measures for fertility clinics, including past practices, with a possible extended investigation to follow.
