COUPLES unable to have children are being turned away from Hampshire's only fertility clinic - because they are considered too old.

The Wessex Fertility Clinic, pictured, in Southampton has revised its policy of treating infertile couples who are waiting for an egg donation.

It now means that women who have reached the age of 42, regardless of whether they are already on the waiting list, are being turned away. One woman, who asked not to be identified, had been on the waiting list for more than a year, having had two previous failed attempts at receiving an egg from a donor.

"I just couldn't believe it. I was heartbroken. I had this letter completely out of the blue; it was like the rug had been pulled out from our feet," she told the Daily Echo.

"I had no idea this was coming. We thought we still had a good chance to get pregnant. Our hope has been taken away."

The woman, from Chandler's Ford, turned 42 in October but said she had no idea that the policy of the clinic had changed.

So far she and her 38-year-old partner - neither of whom have children - have spent more than £4,000 on IVF treatment.

The change in policy was introduced by the clinic last year. Since then, women beyond the age threshold have been contacted to say they can no longer remain on the waiting list.

Dr Gordon Masson, medical director of the Anglesea Road clinic admitted the policy was distressing for couples, but he said it was necessary to keep the waiting list manageable.

"Unfortunately this is a result of the shortage of donors coming forward which is being felt across the country. We introduced this age limit several months ago as it was looking like couples had little prospect of reaching the top in the foreseeable future.

"By that time it would be likely they would be over the age limit we did have in place anyway so it was really a case of being cruel to be kind. By telling them it was unlikely they would be treated within the timeframe enabled them to go elsewhere and possibly receive the treatment quicker."

Although the clinic, which carries out up to 400 fertility cycles a year, could not confirm the exact number of women affected, a spokesman said less than 20 couples had been contacted.

A spokesman from the fertility support group Infertility Network UK said the news would be devastating.

Sheena Young said the lack of donors was largely due to a change in law that means donors who give sperm or eggs for fertility treatment can no longer remain anonymous.

She added that the waiting time for fertility treatment could be anything up to five years.

Dr Masson added: "I think the whole situation will get worse before it gets better. While we do not have waiting times anything like five years, couples are waiting over six months as a minimum.

"The anonymity policy has been the reason for the drop in the number of people. It has been a case of us having to work with the supply and demand issue."

FACTFILE:

Factfile

ABOUT one couple in seven in the UK have fertility problems.

Approximately 7,000 patients receive treatment with donated eggs and sperm each year and as a result 2,000 children are born.

As of April 1 the new law means that once children born from IVF treatment reach 18 they will be able to ask for the identity of their donor.

The move was criticised by fertility experts who warned the law would stop donors coming forward. As a result, couples across the country are waiting longer and older couples are becoming one of the first groups to be dropped from waiting lists to make them more manageable.

Hampshire grandmother Priscilla Eatwell, pictured above, 57, who is married to Don, 70, is currently waiting to find out whether she is pregnant following a course of IVF treatment in Italy after being turned down by clinics in the UK because she was too old.

Further details about egg donation or infertility from: the National Gamete Donation Trust: 0845 226 9193 or Infertility Network UK on 08701 188088.