Friday, 9 January 2009

Appeal for sperm donors

There's such a shortage of sperm donors in the South of England that one local trust has issued an appeal for men to come forward to help childless couples.

Southampton University Hospitals NHS trust runs a sperm bank and donor programme, but staff have seen such a decline in the number of donors in recent year that they've made a public appeal to try to recruit more men. It's a national problem which has meant long waiting lists for couples who need to use donor sperm to conceive. In the UK it is no longer possible to donate sperm anonymously, and people who are conceived through donation can find out the identity of their donor once they are 18.

Anyone who is interested in donating should be between the ages of 18 and 45, and there will be some medical tests and counselling to ensure that potential donors have a chance to talk through any concerns. If you're interested in becoming a donor you can find out more on the trust website at www.suht.nhs.uk

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