Mumbrella:

Fertility service IVF Australia is to launch an advertising campaign encouraging gay men to be sperm donors, and promoting its services to same lesbian couples looking to have children.

... The campaign asks for “healthy, intelligent & generous” donors

Among the information available to prospective parents is the sexual orientation of a sperm donor.

Prof Michael Chapman, senior fertility specialist at IVFAustralia, said that one reason for the campaign was because sperm donations are declining. He said: “We have more than 100 women looking for sperm donors in our clinics in New South Wales, and many have to wait more than six months for that donation. Between 2005 and 2008, the number of IVF cycles facilitated by donors decreased markedly, and anecdotally we believe the numbers have continued to decline since then.”

Ben Mulcahy, MD of Pink Media Group, said: “We are delighted to be assisting in creating lives. It is great to have IVFAustralia welcoming the gay & lesbian community.”

The ad promoting its services stresses that IVF Australia’s customers include single women and same sex couples.