Fertility clinics have a shortage of donors

The Department of Health initiative comes ahead of new laws lifting anonymity on donations from April 1.

It aims to dispel myths that could put off potential donors, such as a notion that they could be obliged to financially support the child.

Some fear couples will be forced to seek fertility treatment abroad unless donor numbers increase.

If we don't do something about it we are going to see the number of donations dry up. Laura Spoelstra, chairman of the NGDT

Typically, sperm banks have relied on donations from younger men in their 20s, targeted through football programmes, magazines and student unions.

Egg donation is more intrusive and riskier, making it more difficult to recruit donors.

Donors of sperm and eggs are paid �15 plus "reasonable expenses".

'Egg-sharing' arragements, where one woman already having fertility treatment agrees to donate spare eggs to another woman, usually in return for finance towards her own fertility treatment, have been set up.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is proposing egg donors should be paid up to �1,000 expenses.

'Fertility Tourism'

Meanwhile, donor numbers are continuing to dwindle.

The target audience for the campaign, developed with the help of the National Gamete Donation Trust, is men aged 28-40 and women aged 28-35.

It is hoped more people will come forward to donate altruistically.

The campaign will include leaflets and posters to raise awareness.

Couples who are desperate for a child will do whatever they feel they have to. Dr Gillian Lockwood, medical director of Midland Fertility Services

Laura Spoelstra, chairman of the NGDT, said: "There is a possibility that if we don't do something about it we are going to see the number of donations dry up."

Dr Allan Pacey of the British Fertility Society said a shortage of both egg and sperm donors could lead to "fertility tourism".

"We are definitely going to see more people going abroad for treatment."

Dr Gillian Lockwood, medical director of Midland Fertility Services, said: "Couples who are desperate for a child will do whatever they feel they have to.

"At the moment the waiting list for donor eggs has gone in my clinic from about six months to 18 months to two years.

"If you're 39 and you know that your only chance of having a baby is by using donor eggs, what are you going to do? Wait two years, or go to Spain?"

Public Health Minister Melanie Johnson said: "We need to change people's perceptions about sperm and egg donation and dispel some of the myths associated with it.

"Donating is and should be highly valued, yet there is a lot of misinformation about what donating actually involves.