THE first step to surrogacy for many couples is through the national voluntary organisation COTS - Childlessness Overcome Through Surrogacy.

COTS, which helped the Haworths, provides information on both natural and IVF surrogacy and is this week expecting its 200th birth.

COTS spokesman Steve Dickinson, originally from the Shadsworth area of Blackburn, said the Haworths had enjoyed an "extraordinary" amount of luck in their quest to become parents. He said: "IVF only has a 15 per cent success rate so for the first attempt to result in pregnancy is fantastic. For a sister to become the surrogate mother is also very rare.

"We have only had four cases since the organisation was set up."

COTS, which provides a host of surrogacy literature, offers the services of trained counsellors and also puts couples in touch with women who are willing to become surrogate mothers. Support is extended during pregnancies.

Anybody wanting further information on COTS can call 01549 402777 between 10am and noon.

The Haworths, like more and more and couples, went private in their quest to have children. They shopped around and found that the IVF Clinic at Leeds General Hospital provided the treatment for £2,500. Some health authorities in England and Wales refuse point blank to pay for In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) - and many who do are so short of money that they are rationing who they refer for treatment.

Reducing IVF and other "assisted conception" referrals are an easy target for health bosses looking to cut costs.

This leaves couples having to meet stricter guidelines to qualify for treatment on the NHS and, even if they do fit the bill, enduring tortuous waits.

Last year East Lancashire Health Authority, which has traditionally paid to send childless couples for IVF at out-of-town hospitals, suspended any more "assisted conception" referrals because of the soaring demand for treatment.

The health authority cut its budget for Extra Contractual Referrals - patients sent out of town for treatment.

In East Lancashire the guidelines say couples will only be accepted if:

They have a history of stable heterosexual cohabitation of at least three years.

The female is aged below 40 and her partner less than 50.

There are a maximum three cycles of treatment and a "two embryo" policy to reduce the incidence of multiple births.

Couples with a child living with them from the current or previous relationship, or an adopted child, will not be accepted.

For many couples the only option is to go private.

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