CHILDLESS couples across Oxfordshire are paying hundreds of pounds to import sperm from the United States because of a chronic shortage of donors locally.

New rules, introduced in April 2005, now mean children conceived with donor sperm can find out who their biological fathers are once they reach 18.

Expenses paid to donors have also been cut and, as a result, donor numbers have fallen so dramatically that there is currently only one male donor covering the whole of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, and his sperm can only be used to conceive ten children.

Around 30 couples are already believed to have paid more than £543 to import sperm into the county from the United States and Scandinavia.

Most endure months of searching internet sperm banks and complicated legal red tape before finding a suitable donor.

One such couple, from Banbury, who have paid £440 for just two vials of sperm, urged more donors to come forward.

Ms X, 41, said: "My partner and I have been trying for a baby for four years and started trying donor insemination.

"Our clinic told us about the new rules being introduced which has drastically affected sperm donation. They advised us to look abroad for sperm.

"But we didn't have a clue how long, drawn out and difficult it would be.

"There are lots of criteria you have to check when you are looking for sperm, plus lots of phone calls to the United States, applying for a license. We even had to pay to have an affidavit witnessed before sending it to America.

"Several other couples from Oxford were paying for sperm from the same clinic. We also knew our sample could still be bought by someone else during that time and that we had no back-up plan."

After being imported from abroad, the sperm is stored in nitrogen at the JR Hospital, until it is used.

The couple know there is only a five per cent chance the sample they have bought will result in pregnancy, but fear it is their only hope of having a child together.

Ms X added: "It's difficult to explain how you feel when you cannot conceive, but if potential donors knew I'm sure they would just do it."