Sperm and egg donors are needed to help childless couples Couple's joy

Men between 18 and 45 and women between 18 and 35 willing to donate sperm or eggs to 40 couples waiting for treatment are wanted.

The fertility centre in Aberdeen has launched the search.

Volunteers can contact co-ordinator Lorraine Stewart, in confidence, on 01224 553612 or email lah.stewart@abdn.ac.uk

Dr Mark Hamilton, lead consultant at the Aberdeen Fertility Clinic, said: "Fertility is something that most of us take for granted but for approximately 500 couples a year in Grampian, having a child is difficult or impossible without help because of male or female infertility.

A full discussion about the implications for donors and their families takes place prior to acceptance on the programme Dr Mark Hamilton Aberdeen Fertility Clinic

"Some of these couples are unable to have a baby because the man does not produce any sperm or the woman does not produce any eggs, or because the eggs or sperm they produce are unlikely to result in a healthy child."

Recipients are now having to wait up to two years for treatment.

Donors must be fit and healthy and have no strong family history of any medical problem.

Ideally they are men and women who have completed their own family and feel able to help others who cannot have children without the aid of donation.

"A full discussion about the implications for donors and their families takes place prior to acceptance on the programme, and volunteers can withdraw at any stage if they feel it is not right for them," Dr Hamilton added.

Find identity

"Donors are not being told the identity of the people receiving treatment using their eggs or sperm, but they can find out how many children have been born as a result of their donations.

"They do not have legal right of access to, or parental or financial responsibility for, any children born as a result of their donations."

He explained: "Recipients are given non-identifying information about their donors, such as hair and eye colour and relevant medical history, if they request it.

"But people born as a result of donation will be able to find out the identity of their donor when they reach the age of 18, again if they ask."

A number of appointments for screening and counselling are made before the donation process begins.

'Great need'

Every year around 20 couples are referred to the centre in Aberdeen for egg donation, and 45 for sperm donation.

Infertility Network UK (Scotland) welcomed the donor call in Aberdeen.

Spokeswoman Susan Seenan said: "Many couples are being denied access to donor treatment because of the severe lack of donors coming forward.