At least 30 children were conceived using the wrong donors at IVF clinics in Northern Cyprus

According to media reports, at least 30 children were conceived as a result of IVF procedures at clinics in Northern Cyprus using donor material that allegedly did not correspond to the donors selected by their parents.

According to the BBC, most of the affected children are British citizens. The parents selected anonymous donors based on medical data, appearance, personality, education and interests, but later suspected that different donor material had been used during the treatment. Half of the known cases are linked to the Dogus IVF Centre in the Neapolis suburb of Nicosia. According to the BBC, the world’s largest sperm bank, Cryos International, blacklisted the Dogus clinic as early as 2016. The publication follows investigations that emerged earlier this year after reports of possible confusion involving donor material at the clinic.

Dogus Derya, a representative of the opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP), said that the lack of proper oversight not only harms individual families but also undermines confidence in the healthcare system. She also spoke of possible violations of the rights of women who become egg donors.

In addition, Deutsche Welle reported that some IVF clinics in Northern Cyprus offer parents a choice of the future child’s sex. Ahmet Savashan, a representative of the National Unity Party (UBP), said that sex selection is not carried out without medical grounds, but journalists claim that one clinic offered them the option to choose the child’s sex for €6 000. At the same time, the websites of several clinics list this service only in cases involving X-linked diseases.