A Child Conceived Through Artificial Insemination by a Third-Party Donor Is Illegitimate-Gursky v. Gursky

Husband and wife, upon discovery of the husband’s inability to father children, sought to have the wife artificially inseminated. The husband gave his written consent to the clinical impregnation and agreed to pay for it. As a result of the artificial insemination a child was born. Subsequently, the wife sought an annulment and petitioned for support of this child. Held, annulment granted, and child declared illegitimate. A child conceived through artificial insemination by a third-party donor, even though done with the consent of the mother’s husband, is illegitimate. Gursky v. Gursky, 39 Misc. 2d 1083, 242 N.Y.S.2d 406 (Sup. Ct. 1963).