quote:

OB-GYN allegedly used his own genetic material to impregnate a patient
By BRYAN CLARK Post Register Apr 5, 2018

[Go to URL to view photo] Dr. Gerald Mortimer

A federal lawsuit filed Friday alleges a local retired obstetrician-gynecologist used his own genetic material to impregnate a patient who received fertility treatment in 1980, a fact only discovered last year when her daughter sought genetic testing.

The suit has been brought against Dr. Gerald Mortimer, an OB-GYN who was first licensed fewer than three years before the alleged incident, according to Idaho State Board of Medicine records.

Repeated efforts this week to reach Mortimer for comment were unsuccessful.

News of the lawsuit was first reported Friday by the website courthousenews.com, and the story was picked up by news organizations around the world starting Monday.

The suit alleges that Sally Ashby and her then-husband Howard Fowler sought help with trouble conceiving in 1979, when Fowler was employed at the Naval Reactors Facility. According to the suit, Mortimer recommended a procedure where Fowler’s genetic material would be mixed with a donor’s, and the mixture would be used to cause pregnancy.

The couple specified that the donor would be a man resembling Fowler: a college student with brown hair, blue eyes and more than 6 feet tall. The suit alleges they paid for access to a donor bank to obtain such a sample.

But the complaint alleges that Mortimer instead used his own genetic material, and when their daughter, Kelli Rowlette (née Fowler), was conceived, she was Mortimer’s biological offspring. Rowlette discovered that fact in July, when she received genetic testing results from Ancestry.com indicating that she was Mortimer’s child. Rowlette was unaware her parents had sought a sperm donor, or that Mortimer had been her mother’s OB-GYN.

Rowlette relayed the results to her mother, complaining that the Ancestry.com results appeared unreliable. But when her mother and father became aware of the results, they were “devastated,” according to the suit.

“Ms. Ashby and Mr. Fowler struggled to cope with their own anguish, and had difficulty contemplating the torment the discovery would cause their daughter if she found out (Mortimer was her biological father),” the complaint states.

The suit states that Rowlette finally looked at a copy of her birth certificate, which Mortimer had signed, and called her parents in a panic.

“Since discovering Dr. Mortimer’s actions, Ms. Ashby, Mr. Fowler and Mrs. Rowlette have been suffering immeasurably,” the complaint states.

The suit alleges medical negligence, failure to obtain informed consent, fraud, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, breach of contract and violations of the Idaho Consumer Protection Act. They are seeking as-yet undetermined damages in excess of $75,000 — the minimum amount to pursue such a case in federal court.

The suit also alleges negligent supervision by Obstetrics and Gynecology Associates of Idaho Falls, where Mortimer formerly worked. The firm’s lawyer issued a statement Tuesday emphasizing that none of the current staff were with the company during the period in question.

“None of the health care providers currently at Obstetrics and Gynecology Associates of Idaho Falls were part of the practice in 1979 to 1980 and they diligently strive to provide care to their patients that is in compliance with the standards of health care practice,” said Michael Wheiler, the clinic’s attorney.

In an interview, Wheiler added that Mortimer hadn’t worked at the clinic in more than a decade.

If Mortimer did use his sperm to impregnate a patient, he wouldn’t be the first doctor to have done so. There have been reports of similar actions throughout the U.S. and abroad. An Indiana fertility doctor was reported to have used his own sperm to “impregnate as many as dozens of women,” the Chicago Tribune reported in December.

Mortimer has held many prominent positions within the local community. He served six years on Bonneville Joint School District 93’s School Board in the late-1990s, according to past reporting, including serving as its chairman.

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Originally posted by RAMIUS:
For as long as my wife can remember, her grandmom swore up and down that there was Native American blood on their side of the family. With no proof of course, just dumb ass wishful thinking.

Her grandmom was so obsessed with the ideas that they were Indians, that there were stupid Indian trinkets all over the house. She’d even dress in Native American themes from time to time.

I’d constantly roll my eyes and try not to make fun of her. 2 years ago, we got her the ancestry test and what do you know...not one bit of Native American blood!

Her whole world came crashing down. Turns out she’s English.

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Originally posted by RAMIUS:
For as long as my wife can remember, her grandmom swore up and down that there was Native American blood on their side of the family. With no proof of course, just dumb ass wishful thinking.

Her grandmom was so obsessed with the ideas that they were Indians, that there were stupid Indian trinkets all over the house. She’d even dress in Native American themes from time to time.

I’d constantly roll my eyes and try not to make fun of her. 2 years ago, we got her the ancestry test and what do you know...not one bit of Native American blood!

Her whole world came crashing down. Turns out she’s English.

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Originally posted by SapperSteel:
A recent article published in the Idaho State Journal (a small regional newspaper published in Pocatello, Idaho) shows at least one of the potential hazards of putting your DNA out there in the public domain: LINK.

Summary: An OB-GYN doctor was asked to facilitate getting a woman pregnant. The woman and her husband requested that the sperm donor be a college boy, at least 6 feet tall, with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Since the doctor met the couple's specs, instead of using a sperm bank, the doctor used his own baby batter to successfully impregnate the woman, who had a daughter.

Thirty years later the daughter sent a swab to Ancestry dot Com and it reported back to her that the doctor was her dad, which was a BIG surprise to her -- a double shock when she saw the doctor's name on her birth certificate as having delivered her! Now the couple is suing the doctor and everybody else that was in or near the room.

Lots of stupid in this story, but the two big mistakes on the part of the doctor were 1) using his own sperm, and 2) putting his DNA profile in the public domain.

Bottom line is that when you give your DNA to these businesses, you lose control of it. This story makes one wary of not just this doctor's problem, but of lots of other potential problems that could crop up if/when one's DNA is out there for anyone to look at.

quote:

OB-GYN allegedly used his own genetic material to impregnate a patient
By BRYAN CLARK Post Register Apr 5, 2018

[Go to URL to view photo] Dr. Gerald Mortimer

A federal lawsuit filed Friday alleges a local retired obstetrician-gynecologist used his own genetic material to impregnate a patient who received fertility treatment in 1980, a fact only discovered last year when her daughter sought genetic testing.

The suit has been brought against Dr. Gerald Mortimer, an OB-GYN who was first licensed fewer than three years before the alleged incident, according to Idaho State Board of Medicine records.

Repeated efforts this week to reach Mortimer for comment were unsuccessful.

News of the lawsuit was first reported Friday by the website courthousenews.com, and the story was picked up by news organizations around the world starting Monday.

The suit alleges that Sally Ashby and her then-husband Howard Fowler sought help with trouble conceiving in 1979, when Fowler was employed at the Naval Reactors Facility. According to the suit, Mortimer recommended a procedure where Fowler’s genetic material would be mixed with a donor’s, and the mixture would be used to cause pregnancy.

The couple specified that the donor would be a man resembling Fowler: a college student with brown hair, blue eyes and more than 6 feet tall. The suit alleges they paid for access to a donor bank to obtain such a sample.

But the complaint alleges that Mortimer instead used his own genetic material, and when their daughter, Kelli Rowlette (née Fowler), was conceived, she was Mortimer’s biological offspring. Rowlette discovered that fact in July, when she received genetic testing results from Ancestry.com indicating that she was Mortimer’s child. Rowlette was unaware her parents had sought a sperm donor, or that Mortimer had been her mother’s OB-GYN.

Rowlette relayed the results to her mother, complaining that the Ancestry.com results appeared unreliable. But when her mother and father became aware of the results, they were “devastated,” according to the suit.

“Ms. Ashby and Mr. Fowler struggled to cope with their own anguish, and had difficulty contemplating the torment the discovery would cause their daughter if she found out (Mortimer was her biological father),” the complaint states.

The suit states that Rowlette finally looked at a copy of her birth certificate, which Mortimer had signed, and called her parents in a panic.

“Since discovering Dr. Mortimer’s actions, Ms. Ashby, Mr. Fowler and Mrs. Rowlette have been suffering immeasurably,” the complaint states.

The suit alleges medical negligence, failure to obtain informed consent, fraud, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, breach of contract and violations of the Idaho Consumer Protection Act. They are seeking as-yet undetermined damages in excess of $75,000 — the minimum amount to pursue such a case in federal court.

The suit also alleges negligent supervision by Obstetrics and Gynecology Associates of Idaho Falls, where Mortimer formerly worked. The firm’s lawyer issued a statement Tuesday emphasizing that none of the current staff were with the company during the period in question.

“None of the health care providers currently at Obstetrics and Gynecology Associates of Idaho Falls were part of the practice in 1979 to 1980 and they diligently strive to provide care to their patients that is in compliance with the standards of health care practice,” said Michael Wheiler, the clinic’s attorney.

In an interview, Wheiler added that Mortimer hadn’t worked at the clinic in more than a decade.

If Mortimer did use his sperm to impregnate a patient, he wouldn’t be the first doctor to have done so. There have been reports of similar actions throughout the U.S. and abroad. An Indiana fertility doctor was reported to have used his own sperm to “impregnate as many as dozens of women,” the Chicago Tribune reported in December.

Mortimer has held many prominent positions within the local community. He served six years on Bonneville Joint School District 93’s School Board in the late-1990s, according to past reporting, including serving as its chairman.

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What's crazy is mine returned 1000+ DNA matches. If I ever win the lottery I'll be broke.

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Originally posted by Anush:

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What's crazy is mine returned 1000+ DNA matches. If I ever win the lottery I'll be broke.

Mine too, but since my father's family came here in 1630 (I was able to link this on Ancestry) it stands to reason. I have found 2nd cousins that I have never seen. My wife thought she was 1/4 Russian & results were no Russian but Italian. She did both Ancestry & 23&Me with similar results.

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Now I can apply to be a professor at Harvard Law, be invited to Sunday evening soirees at Pocahontas's, to enjoy Stone ground corn, fresh roasted buffalo, maybe even some firewater in moderation, of course. Has anyone ever received more joyful more momentous news at this late stage in their lives?