Conception Deception: Eve Wiley on Fertility Fraud
On this episode of Stork'd, Julia talks with Eve Wiley, a proponent and champion of legislation to prevent fertility fraud in the unregulated reproductive medicine industry. Eve’s mother was the victim of artificial insemination by her fertility doctor using his sperm without her consent. Eve’s story takes her on a roller coaster journey of learning that neither her mother’s husband, her dad, nor the sperm donor of record was her father. You will hear the shocking truths about what is allowed in this industry and why legislation is necessary. You don’t want to miss this dramatic story.
IN THIS EPISODE:
[02:14] Eve tells her genetic identity background, and when she finally had access to her medical history
[07:51] Eve was 16 years old when she discovered she was a donor-conceived offspring and how that affected her family dynamic
[15:52] The bio dad comes into the picture
[21:40] The bombshell is dropped. Eve’s mom’s fertility doctor is her donor dad without her mother’s consent
[33:04] Eve describes the psychological impact she felt and the community members who supported what the doctor did
[39:31] Eve explains the grief she experiences and reflects on the history of why she is the face of fertility fraud legislation
[45:45] Reproductive medicine is not regulated and is not held accountable for their actions
[49:20] Eve lists many much-needed legislative changes she wants to see in this industry
[53:31] Legislative changes lead to price increases for sperm
[56:00] Eve discusses the definition of family
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
It is unfair to the donor-conceived person that they must manage everyone else's feelings connected in this relationship.
The doctor in question essentially medically raped Eve’s mother.
More states need to create legislation governing the reproductive medical industry.
RESOURCE LINKS:
ABOUT :
My name is Eve Wiley, and I'm the product of fertility fraud.
My parents struggled with infertility and carefully selected an anonymous sperm donor (donor 106 from California Cryobank) to conceive me. When I was 18, I found Donor 106 and developed a wonderful father-daughter relationship. In 2018, through commercial DNA testing, I learned that my mother's fertility doctors used his own sperm instead of the donor my parents selected and consented to. He is my biological father.
I was even more shocked to learn that in 2019, this fact pattern was a crime in only ONE STATE: California. I set out to change the laws in Texas and other states creating civil and criminal causes of action for victims. As of 2022, 8 states have passed some sort of fertility fraud bill.
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