A UK national sperm bank - charged with reversing a growing shortage of donor sperm - has started work in Birmingham.
Fertility clinics have become increasingly dependent on imported sperm giving rise to the so-called "Viking babies" phenomenon.
Meanwhile, data from the fertility regulator shows a 10th of IVF cycles are dependent on donated sperm or eggs.
And a third of procedures using donated material were for same-sex couples or single women.
The number of UK-based sperm donors has been increasing since 2004. However, demand has increased even faster.
Denmark and the United States have become major suppliers of sperm to British women.
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