LONDON, Sept. 16 (UPI) -- Fertility ships in international waters might give couples the opportunity to get fertility treatments forbidden in Britain.
One factor spurring the fertility ships is the growing shortage of sperm donors in the United Kingdom, where men have stopped donating sperm in anticipation of the removal of anonymity next April, reported the Guardian Friday.
The ships would provide insemination with sperm from anonymous donors, which many couples prefer, as well as more controversial techniques such as gender selection.
"Taking advantage of the international shipping legislation would not be illegal," said Ole Schou, founder of Europe's largest sperm bank and consultant for the fertility ships. "The idea is to have ships staffed with professional people from the local country. U.K. doctors would be employed and take care of U.K. patients."
There is a market for hundreds of fertility ships in Europe, and the most obvious markets will be around the United Kingdom and Italy, according to Schou.
