Ms. Alison Cook

Alison CookHead of PressTel: 020 7291 8225Email: alison.cook@hfea.gov.uk

"We think it's illegal," said Alison Cook of the HFEA.

Sperm sorting should only be used to avoid having children with serious disorders, says Alison Cook, a spokeswoman for the HFEA.The HFEA chair, Suzi Leather, says: "We are not persuaded that the likely benefits of permitting sex selection for social reasons are strong enough to outweigh the possible harm that might be done."

Stained sperm

The HFEA's decision was based on both the potential health dangers of selecting sperm by the available methods and social concerns, Cook told New Scientist.

The method currently used to sort sperm in the UK is called "gradient sorting", but there is "huge controversy" around its effectiveness, says Cook.
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"Until the FDA has finished, we won't know what the harm is of putting a dye into the genetic material," says Cook.
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"People were worried that the love for your children should be unconditional," says Cook.

"Women are designed to carry one child; not twins or triplets or quadruplets," said Alison Cook of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) when the Harvard study was announced last week.

Alison Cook, a spokeswoman for the HFEA, said: "These results show that multiple births are not good for the mother or the children and any way that we can reduce them without disadvantaging a woman's chances of getting pregnant should be considered.
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For some older women, Ms Cook said, transferring more than two embryos offered a greater chance of getting pregnant, and guidance would take into account their chances of conceiving with a single embryo transfer.

Alison Cook, a spokeswoman for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, which regulates fertility treatment in Britain, said the study was a "serious concern"."We have never come across these figures before.We will be studying the research," she said.

Alison Cook, a spokeswoman for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, which regulates fertility treatment in Britain, said the study was a "serious concern".

Alison Cook, a spokeswoman for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, which regulates fertility treatment in Britain, said the study was a "serious concern".

Alison Cook, HFEA on 020 7539 3323/ 07771 981920