Fertility treatment in region boosted as £3.3m state-of-the-art IVF centre opens

A SPECIALIST fertility unit serving thousands of people across the region has opened its doors in Leeds.

The 3.3m Leeds Centre for Reproductive Medicine at Seacroft Hospital will be among the biggest in the UK, carrying out 2,000 IVF treatment cycles a year.

The move brings together 60 staff from two units at Leeds General Infirmary and St James's Hospital which have consistently been among the most successful 10 per cent in the country.

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It follows recommendations for a merger made in a report into a laboratory mix-up in 2004 at the infirmary which saw mixed-race twins born to a white couple.

Specialist Prof Adam Balen said: "The new centre represents a new era whereby our strengths are reinforced and our teams will be able to achieve much more for our patients in this fantastic state-of-the-art environment.

"We have an international reputation for world-class research ranging from the basic science of egg and embryo development, to the management of conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome and the preservation of fertility for women about to undergo cancer therapy."

Demand for fertility treatments is expected to increase significantly in coming years as women put off giving birth until later in life, while there are also major concerns soaring levels of obesity will affect fertility.

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Under NHS guidelines, more couples are due to become eligible for free fertility treatment although its availability still varies.

Law change hits sperm donations

A study by experts from Yorkshire has warned sperm donation levels in the UK are so low that women are resorting to DIY insemination kits and sourcing sperm from abroad.

The review by Allan Pacey, of Sheffield University, said a 2006 change in the law which removed donor's anonymity was a significant factor behind the change.

Individuals conceived through donor insemination now have the right to know who their genetic father is.

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The findings, published in the Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Journal, also found 85 per cent of donors are rejected because of the quality of their sperm.

Latest figures show a steady decline in the number of patients in Britain receiving treatment with donor sperm, falling from almost 9,000 in 1992 to just over 2,000 in 2007.

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