A couple filed a lawsuit against the hospital for using the wrong sperm, alleging a devastating fertility mix-up that permanently altered their lives and their child’s health.
The lawsuit was filed by a couple identified as C.W. and K.W., who claim that a hospital in Oregon mistakenly used another man’s sperm during a fertility procedure instead of K.W.’s. As a result, the couple says their daughter inherited serious medical conditions linked to her biological father. According to court documents, the couple only learned of the error decades later, long after the emotional and physical consequences had already taken root.
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Couple Files Lawsuit Against Hospital Over Fertility Mix-Up
The lawsuit centers on a fertility procedure performed at Oregon Health and Science University in 1981. According to the complaint, C.W. and K.W. sought medical assistance to conceive a child. Unknown to them, doctors allegedly used sperm belonging to another man, identified in court records as R.W., who had undergone a similar fertility procedure with his wife approximately one year earlier, Law&Crime reported.
The couple states that medical staff obtained and stored sperm samples from multiple patients but failed to properly label, track, or verify the specimens. As a result, the wrong sperm was used during C.W.’s insemination. At the time, the couple believed the pregnancy was successful using K.W.’s sperm. They raised their daughter, identified as A.P., without any knowledge of the alleged error.
The lawsuit claims the hospital’s actions amount to gross negligence, medical malpractice, and a violation of reproductive autonomy. It further alleges that proper safeguards would have prevented the mix-up entirely.
Genetic Testing Revealed Biological Truth Decades Later
The truth reportedly came to light decades later through genetic testing. According to Law&Crime, DNA results revealed that K.W. was not A.P.’s biological father. The discovery allegedly occurred less than two years before the lawsuit was filed on December 26, 2025, in Multnomah County Circuit Court.
The couple says the revelation was emotionally devastating. Not only did it challenge their understanding of their family history, but it also provided clarity about medical conditions their daughter had been experiencing. Court documents state that the child suffers from health issues that the biological father reportedly inherited, issues the couple says could have been anticipated or avoided had proper procedures been followed.
The lawsuit also alleges that K.W.’s sperm may have been used for another couple, though the hospital allegedly failed to investigate or notify affected families.
Complaint Details Emotional, Physical, and Psychological Harm
The lawsuit outlines extensive emotional and physical suffering endured by the couple, particularly C.W. “C.W. had to bear the humiliation, discomfort, and physical distress of carrying the pregnancy to term and laboring and delivering a child conceived due to the wrongful use of another male’s semen specimen,” the complaint states.
Beyond the pregnancy itself, the couple claims the discovery caused long-term psychological trauma. Legal documents describe ongoing struggles with:
- Mental and emotional anguish
- Physical pain
- Emotional distress
- Embarrassment and humiliation
- Loss of self-esteem
- Loss of enjoyment of life
The complaint states that these effects have prevented, and will continue to prevent, the couple from fully engaging in daily life.
As a result, C.W. and K.W. are seeking $17 million in damages for medical negligence, emotional distress, and lifelong harm caused by the alleged error.