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Students sell their eggs

Women cannot sell their eggs for profit in the UK

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Two female students at British universities have used a fertility agency to sell some of their eggs to infertile couples in the United States.

The women were paid $6,000 and $8,000 (approximately £3,800 and £5,000) for their eggs.

It is illegal for a woman to sell her eggs for profit in the UK, but it is perfectly legal to do so in the United States.

Now the Californian-based company which arranged the students' sale, Egg Donation Inc, is planning to advertise for more donors in a British newspaper.

The company's founder and director, Karen Synesiou, said there was a huge demand in the States for British donors.

Paying off debts

It has been reported the students were raising the money to help pay for their education.

Asked about this Ms Synesiou said she could not comment.

But she said she was under the impression that students in the UK got their university education for free.

Ms Synesiou said the amount paid to an egg donor depended on factors such as their qualifications, what they looked like, what the infertile couple were requesting and whether or not they had donated before.

"You're looking for someone who's between the age of 21 and 32 years old, whose height/weight ratio is appropriate and you're looking for someone who's really intelligent and nice looking," she said.

"If you can't use your own eggs, you're going to try and give the best that you can to your child and generally what you're going to do is try and find a nice looking donor."

Egg Donation Inc asks donors to send photographs of themselves, their siblings and any children they may have.

In the UK, men and women receive £15 - ostensibly to cover their expenses - for sperm and egg donation.

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