BABIES are always expensive but now a clinic is doing away with charges for fertility treatment in exchange for a sperm donation.

BABIES are always expensive but now a clinic is doing away with charges for fertility treatment in exchange for a sperm donation.

The controversial move will see couples avoid paying cash for the procedure in return for the "payment in kind".

It's being offered by the Glasgow Centre for Reproductive Medicine because of a massive shortage of Scots sperm donors, thought to have been caused after changes in the law meant offspring can find out their father's name.

Demand, however, remains high from couples where the man has fertility problems and from lesbian partners and single women.

The directors of GCRM based in Cardonald Business Park, say desperate people seeking donor sperm call every week and have to be turned away.

The centre, which was opened by NHS specialists last September had bought enough supplies from Manchester for 10 couples. But this has rapidly run out and they have had no stock since March.

Now the clinic is launching an advertising campaign at Scottish train stations for sperm and egg donors.

Professor Richard Fleming, centre director said: "Because one sperm donor can generally provide up to 10 treatments for other needy recipients we decided that we should bear the costs.

"It is called payment in kind, which appears to be allowed under the guidelines of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority."

The advertising campaign mentions a service already offered where a woman undergoing IVF shares some of her eggs with another female who cannot produce her own.

In return the recipient pays some of the donor's costs.

However, it is the GCRM which has offered to fund the couple's treatment costs in return for semen donation.

Gemma Wilkie of the HFEA confirmed the practice was allowed.

She said: "You cannot be paid. You cannot be given money, but clinics are allowed to provide a compensation in the form of a reduced cost treatment."

Meanwhile, a new sexual health clinic opened in East Renfrewshire today.

The centre, in Barrhead, will provide sexual, emotional and reproductive health care and is the fifth planned "hub" by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's award-winning Sandyford Initiative.

The new Sandyford East Renfrewshire facility was to be officially opened by Eastwood MSP Ken Macintosh at Barrhead Health Centre.

He said: "Too many Scots find it difficult to talk about their health. The Sandyford clinic will break down some of these barriers."