A gynaecologist working at the Rijnstate hospital in Arnhem used sperm that should have been for a specific IVF procedure as donor sperm for another woman, resulting in a child with a genetic disease, according to a documentary on KRO-NCRV.

The IVF couple, the mother, and the child have all taken legal action against the doctor, who is also known to have used his own sperm to produce other donor children.

The incident occurred in the 1980s and only came to light when the donor child tried to get in touch with her father. She eventually traced him via a commercial DNA bank and discovered he had no idea he had another child.

He and his wife have welcomed the girl into their family, but he told RTL, “I find it hard to come to terms with the fact there may be other children of mine out there.”

The man also has a genetic disease, which he has passed on to the woman and her own child. “It is an illness that leads to paralysis,” he said. “This is something we also have to live with.”

The hospital is looking into the case and declined to comment to the broadcaster.