A woman based in New England received the shock of a lifetime after receiving DNA test results from Ancestory.com.
According to Carolyn Bester, she learned her mother’s fertility doctor is secretly her father. Now, the family has decided to take the former professor to court.
Former Professor Secretly Impregnates Patient
Dr. Merle Berger, a former professor at Harvard Medical School and founder of one of the nation’s largest fertility clients, has been accused of secretly impregnating a patient in 1980.
According to reports, Berger claimed the sperm would come from an anonymous donor. Instead, he impregnated Sarah Deponian, now 73, using his own sperm.
Husband and Wife Seek Advice from Renowned Doctor
In the late 70s, Sarah and her husband visited Dr. Merle, a now-retired professor of gynecology, obstetrics, and reproductive biology, to discuss intrauterine insemination.
The couple decided to proceed with the insemination process. Depoian said Berger told the couple that the sperm would come from a donor “who resembled her husband, who did not know her, and whom she did not know.”
Family Joy over Successful Pregnancy
The Depoian family was overjoyed when they discovered the artificial insemination performed by Berger was successful, and they would soon have a child.
Nine months later, a healthy child named Carolyn Bester was born in January 1981.
DNA Results Bring Forth Shocking Revelation
Earlier this year, Carolyn Bester decided to conduct a home DNA test. And it produced unsettling results.
According to the lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, the contents of the test proved that Dr. Berger was her biological father.
Harvard University Comments on Berger
After the accusations were brought against Dr. Berger, a spokesperson for Harvard Medical School shed light on their ties with the former professor.
They said that while Berger was academically affiliated with a prestigious medical school, his primary place of employment was at Harvard-affiliated hospitals, which they did not own or operate.
Lawyer Claims the Doctor Knew What He Was Doing
Adam Wolf, a lawyer representing the Depoian family in their case, said Berger clearly knew what he was doing when he planned to inseminate Sarah with his own semen.
“Some people call this horrific act medical rape, but regardless of what you call it, Dr. Berger’s heinous and intentional misconduct is unethical, unacceptable and unlawful,” said Wolf.
Pioneer in the Medical Fertility Field
Dr. Berger’s lawyers have spoken out publicly about their respect for the former professor, who helped with medical advances in his field.
One lawyer, Ian Pinta, claims Berger was a pioneer in the medical fertility field who, with 50 years of practice, helped thousands of families fulfill their dreams of having children.
All Allegations Will Be Disproven in Court
“The allegations concern events from over 40 years ago, in the early days of artificial insemination,” Pinta said in a written statement.
He continued, “The allegations, which have changed repeatedly in the six months since the plaintiff’s attorney first contacted Dr. Berger, have no legal or factual merit and will be disproven in court.”
IVF Fertility Clinic Speaks Out
A Boston IVF Fertility Clinic spokesperson, which Berger helped to found, claims the alleged misconduct occurred before the doctor’s employment at the clinic.
“The field of reproductive endocrinology and infertility is much different than it was decades ago, and the safety measures and safeguards currently in place would make such allegations virtually impossible nowadays,” the company said in a written statement.
Depoian Takes Berger to Court, Seeking Damages
Sarah Depoian claims in the lawsuit that she seeks “damages in an amount sufficient to compensate her for her injuries.”
“We fully trusted Dr. Berger. He was a medical professional. It’s hard to imagine not trusting your own doctor,” said Depoian. “We never dreamt he would abuse his position of trust and perpetrate this extreme violation. I am struggling to process it.”
Daughter Shocked After Ancestory.Com Results
Sarah’s daughter, Bester, claims she had been exploring her history by using DNA results from Ancestory.com when she came across the shocking results.
While the results didn’t directly match Berger, they identified her as a granddaughter and second cousin of his. After speaking to one of the relatives, she began to piece together the puzzle.
