Internet baby goes live

NEWS A child conceived with sperm bought over the internet was born yesterday. The baby boy is the first to be born from web spermbank, mannotincluded.com, although the site says there are now 19 women who are also pregnant after using the service. Although the site bills itself as being for 'lesbians and single women' the baby was born to a very PR-unfriendly heterosexual couple in the South East who wish to remain anonymous. The couple had failed to conceive after undergoing treatment at traditional clinics. The site has already attracted 5,500 sperm donors since its own conception a year ago. The internet sperm bank was founded by a former city headhunter, who will be opening similar services in Europe, including in the Netherlands, Spain and Germany. The birth has inevitably drawn criticism from fertility authorities, with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority said that, while the site falls outside their remit, they believe the internet sperm provider's activities may lead to legal problems. Suzi Leather, the HFEA's chairwoman, said in a statement: "Women wishing to use donated sperm are advised to do so through an HFEA licensed clinic where donated sperm is thoroughly tested and legal parentage is set down in law."