NHS Tayside’s ‘babymaker’ is urging locals to help those struggling with infertility by donating eggs and sperm – after lockdowns depleted stocks.
Ellen Drew, lead clinical embryologist at NHS Tayside, says more donors would give hope to 200-plus couples across Scotland waiting to fulfil their dreams of having a family.
Ellen has worked in fertility in Tayside since 1990 and is highlighting the issue for Fertility Awareness Week.
‘When someone puts a baby in your arms you’ve helped make…’
“It is tricky working with people who are struggling,” she explains.
“But also very satisfying, even if you can help them in some small way by just listening to them and acknowledging they’re finding it difficult.
“The most rewarding thing is when someone comes in and puts a baby in your arms that you’ve helped make. I’ve never managed to hold one without crying.”
Covid has made things worse…we need donors.
Many experiencing infertility will go through treatment such as In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) or Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI).
But if those don’t work, donation plays a key role in helping couples become parents.
Ellen says: “We’re running very short of both donor sperm and eggs in Scotland. That has been made worse by Covid so there’s a great need for donors.
What causes infertility?
There is a wide range of reasons why someone might struggle with infertility, Ellen explains:
“A lot of infertility is unexplained and we don’t know for certain why someone is not conceiving.
“Sometimes the tests come back as normal which is really frustrating for the couple because there’s no reason as such.
“There is female factor which might be blocked fallopian tubes, endometriosis, ovulation problems, or a combination of all these factors.
“It could also be because the woman has gone through premature menopause, so might need donated eggs to help her conceive.
“Male factor makes up a large proportion of infertility. This can include low sperm production, abnormal sperm function or blockages preventing the delivery of sperm.
“For those needing egg and sperm donors, sometimes it’s a same-sex couple.”
Who can donate?
By signing up to donate eggs or sperm, you could help the hundreds of people across Scotland who are hoping to start a family and become parents.
To donate eggs, you must be between 18 and 35 and have stopped smoking within the past three months.
You must be 18-45 to donate sperm and also be a non-smoker.
To find out more about whether you could sign up to be a donor, visit www.fertility.scot