A 62-year-old woman was shocked to find out that not only was she conceived using a sperm donor through artificial insemination, but that she has 11 siblings as well.
In “Born From the Same Stranger,” Corrine Armstrong shared her emotional story. Her father died from complications relating to diabetes when she was just seven years old, and at first, she had been concerned that she might potentially develop diabetes as well. Her mother then told her that she was not actually biologically related to the man who raised her.
Armstrong appeared on the show to get more answers about her conception and heritage, as well as to see if she could potentially find any biological family members.
“It’s important for me to do this now after all these years without knowing anything,” she said. “I think my parents were very ahead of their time, I think they were very modern thinking. But because it was the late fifties, it was a big secret. My mum told me it was at an Exeter hospital, and it was a lady [gynecologist], that’s all I know really, but there must be something somewhere.”
READ: Australian sperm donor may have fathered over 1,000 children, sparking investigation
On the show, Armstrong met with Dr. Caroline Rusterholz, a historian of reproductive health at the Bishopsgate Institute in London. “At the time artificial insemination was very controversial, some say it was even like committing an adultery,” Rusterholz explained. “There were only six practitioners doing artificial inseminations by donor in Britain. One was at Exeter and her name was Margaret Jackson.”
As she listened, Armstrong cried, saying, “Sorry, it’s just really weird.”
Through DNA research, she then found out she has 11 siblings, some of whom she has met, and they are hoping with time, they’ll find out who their father is. “Wow, that’s a lot. I didn’t think there would be that many to be honest with you,” she said. “I think this is the beginning, we will research more and more, and we might find a connection to our donor.”
Another woman featured on the same show found out her biological father, a sperm donor, died one month before she was born. Some people who find out they were donor-conceived often react with shock, and have found out they have hundreds — even thousands — of siblings.
