Unwitting Father Sues Fertility Clinic After His Girlfriend 'Stole His Sperm And Got Pregnant With Twins via IVF' - Then Sued Him for Child Support

A man has sued a fertility clinic after claiming they used his 'stolen' sperm to get his girlfriend pregnant with twins.

Joe Pressil claims he had no knowledge his girlfriend Anetria was undergoing IVF treatment.

She gave birth to twins almost a year after they split up in 2007 and later sued him for child support.

A paternity test revealed Pressil was the father and he later discovered a receipt from a Houston fertility clinic for his sperm donation.

In his lawsuit the 36 year old telecommunications manager said his girlfriend stole the sperm by keeping a condom after they had sex.

He claims she told him she was unable to conceive and said did not want to start a family with his girlfriend.

Three months after they split up in 2007 he discovered she was pregnant with twins.

In his lawsuit, Pressil said he found out about the stolen sperm plot when a receipt arrived in the post listing him as the patient at the Advanced Fertility Centre in Houston, Texas.

Pressil said he had never visited the centre and would not seek fertility treatment on religious grounds.

'Actually, I couldn't believe it could be done.  I was very, very devastated,' said Pressil.

'I couldn't believe that this fertility clinic could actually do this without my consent, or without my even being there.'

He added: 'That's a violation of myself, to what I believe in, to my religion, and just to my manhood,' Pressil said.

Presil said after having sex with his girlfriend she would always dispose of the condom.

He said: 'I did notice a little bit because she would take the condom and ask me to discard it. And usually, a male would discard their own property, but she would always take the condom and she would run off out of the room and I just didn't think anything of it.

'And I didn't think that anyone could use a condom and bring it to a clinic to get an in vitro,' he said.

The lawsuit claims the fertility clinic should not have proceeded with the IVF without first checking with Pressil.

The lawsuit says: 'Advanced Fertility told Pressil they obtained his sperm sample from a woman purporting to be his wife, even though Pressil was not married, and in 2007 performed in vitro fertilization which resulted in the birth of twins. Advanced Fertility impregnated the woman with Pressil's sperm without his knowledge, much less his consent.

'Advanced Fertility's website 'strongly encourages' both partners to take part in an initial consultation, though Pressil was never consulted. Pressil first discovered his children were born through in vitro fertilization in February of 2011.'

In suing for damages Pressil claims he has suffered mental anguish.

'Due to the unexpected birth of his children caused by defendants, Pressil suffered severe mental anguish and incurred economic harm due to substantial child support payments,' he says.

His lawyer Jason Gibson said what Pressil experienced was terrifying for a man, especially if he's not planning to have a family.

'It's not what you're thinking when you're in a relationship,' he said.

'That's not what most people are thinking, that their partner is going to get a special condom, use that condom as soon as you're done having sex, run off to the fertility clinic to go have an IVF procedure.  That's certainly not what my client was thinking,' Gibson said.

'I hope that an indirect result of this lawsuit will be that these 'one stop baby shop' type places that will take your money and get you pregnant without the male's consent will take note and perhaps change the way they do business in the future.

Lawyers for the fertility clinic called the lawsuit 'suspect' and 'disingenuous.'

Spokesman Danny Sheena said they had signed consent form and Presill had blood tests that were submitted to the clinic.

He admitted the consent forms could have forged by the mother.

'When patients provide information like [the ex-girlfriend], we rely on truthful and accurate information,' Sheena said.

Presil's ex-girlfriends lawyer said the lawsuit is a scam so that he can avoid paying child support.

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