16/03/2010

Drive For More Sperm Donation

Calls have been made for more British men to donate sperm to help those suffering from fertility problems.

The National Gamete Donation Trust (NGDT) said it needs to reach a minimum target of 500 donors this year to help couples in need.

At present only 384 men are on the UK sperm donor register.

Research from the trust has revealed that men in Manchester are more willing to donate sperm.

The NGDT has called on them to be part of the latest national drive, which hopes to encourage more sporty donors.

The new recruitment campaign, launched in Manchester today, asks ‘Have you got the balls?’ in a bid to encourage men to step forward and consider sperm donation.

Almost a quarter of men in Manchester surveyed (22%) said that now they are aware of the need they would definitely be willing to donate sperm to help other couples, which compares to one in ten men (11%) nationally.

A further third (35%) said they would possibly donate after further consideration, compared with 24% nationally.

When asked how they would feel if they found out they had donor quality sperm, men in Manchester said they would be proud (33%), and one in five (21%) would want to help others by donating their sperm

Laura Witjens, Chair of the National Gamete Donation Trust, said: "In the UK there are hundreds of couples who need a sperm donor to help them conceive the child they long for so much, either because of infertility or genetic disease. These couples rely on men stepping forward as sperm donors."

John, 25, from Lancashire has recently enquired about sperm donation.

He said: "My friend has recently had trouble conceiving and it got me thinking about sperm donation. Before then I didn’t really realise there was a need for sperm donors.

"I called the NGDT and I’m about to start the process. I’m really excited about the prospect of helping couples in need and hope this campaign will encourage other normal guys like me to step forward."

The National Gamete Donation Trust was set up in 1998 as a national government-funded charity to raise awareness of and seek ways to alleviate the national shortage of gamete (sperm, egg and embryo) donors.

(PR/BMcc)

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