Women in the UK can now choose a sperm donor using a ground-breaking smartphone app.
The app, the first of its kind in the UK and potentially the world, has been launched by London Sperm Bank Donors and is available to download for free via Google Play or the App Store. Once registered, users can create a wish-list of their ideal donor characteristics, including physical traits, job type and level of education, and also read a brief description of their personality.
They can also sign up to receive alerts as soon as new donors become available in what London Sperm Bank Donors calls an opportunity to "plan your family on the go."
The app is legal and adheres to regulations laid down by the UK's IVF regulator, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), The Sunday Times reports.
When a user finds a donor that meets her requirements, she can pay £950 to have a sperm sample delivered to her local fertility clinic. According to The Sunday Times, around half of the UK's IVF clinics have already signed up to use the service.
Dr Kamal Ahuja of the London Sperm Bank said the app "allows a woman who wants to get a sperm donor to gain control in the privacy of her own home and to choose and decide in her own time."
"We think this is the first of its kind in the world," he added.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT