Fertility clinics to recruit more lesbians as egg donors for IVF

The study, published today, reports that gay women who attended a London clinic were up to 20 per cent more likely to have a baby than their heterosexual counterparts.

It opens the way for clinics to ask lesbians to share their eggs.

Researchers believe the difference between lesbian and straight women arises because most gay women seek treatment for lifestyle reasons, and not because they have fertility problems.

Conversely, most straight women seek IVF because they have problems conceiving.

The study was by the London Women's Clinic in Harley Street.

Dr Kamal Ahuja, its scientific director, said: "These results are remarkable. This is the first indication that the quality of eggs for lesbian women is better.

"It's also a remarkable turnaround - 10 years ago lesbian women weren't all that welcome in fertility clinics. Now that's changed. These women are going to be our saviours. This is evidence that they make excellent patients in egg-sharing schemes - both as donors and recipients."

Lesbians will be encouraged to take part in the "egg-sharing" system pioneered by the clinic.

In return for subsidised IVF, they will donate some of their eggs to an anonymous recipient. This enables both women to become pregnant, and provides an alternative to using an "altruistic" donor who does not want children of her own.

There is currently a shortage of suitable egg donors at British clinics.

As a result, an increasing number of couples are going abroad for treatment. In countries such as Spain, India and the US women can be paid for donating eggs, but this is banned in Britain.

Dr Ahuja said: "There's a huge unmet demand for donor eggs in the UK. Egg-sharing is one potential solution. This puts an end to women needing to go to countries like India."

The London Women's Clinic research was based on data from 202 of its lesbian patients up to December last year.

The study, in its magazine Ova, looked at those who took part in the egg-sharing scheme, and others who did not take part but still had conventional IVF.

I'm happy to be helping others'

Kelly Guarina is pregnant for the first time after using a sperm donor.

The cleaning contractor, 30, underwent IVF at the London Women's Clinic, where she also donated eggs to two women.

Her treatment should have cost £4,500 but she paid £505 in return for sharing eggs with other patients.

Ms Guarina, from Swansea, said she always wanted children although her partner Louise has a daughter, 19, from an earlier relationship.

She said: "I had to wait two weeks for the results but was so delighted when it was positive. I'm so happy I'm helping other women as well this way — I think lesbian women should be able to help out like this."

Her only concern was that any children born from donated eggs are entitled to track her down when they turn 18.

The baby she is carrying will also be entitled to find the sperm donor.