The Leuven University genealogist Jean-Jacques Cassiman told the paper that “In the 1960’s and 70’s sperm cells were put into the uterus in the hope that the woman would become pregnant. I can imagine that back then they wanted to give would-be parents greater guarantees that the treatment would work. Consequently the sperm of various donors was used”.

Dr Cassiman is keen to stress that the IVF technology used today is completely different to the techniques used back then. Today, a single sperm cell can be inserted into an ovum.

Dr Cassiman calls for the abolition of a sperm donor’s right to anonymity. This would mean that children would always have the opportunity to trace their biological parents if the so wished. The triplets share this view.

One of them told the paper that “Being a donor should be something beautiful. The issue here is that it has become an industry that is only interest in fulfilling adults’ desires to become parents. There don’t reflect on the effect it has on the children”.

“What we have discovered is the absurd icing on the cake”.

The triplets aren’t unique. A number of similar cases have come to light abroad. The Flemish triplets are made up or two women and a man. One of the women is blond and the other dark. They also have completely different builds.

“As I child I thought that I’d been swapped at birth”, one of the sisters told ‘De Standaard

Source: http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/Health%2Band%2BEnvironment/1.2725381