HEALTH bosses have warned childless couples they may have to wait until 2011 for fertility treatment.

The number of couples from North Durham referred to the Newcastle Centre for Life for IVF (in vitro fertilisation) treatment has increased so rapidly in the past two years that demand has outstripped resources.

With a total of 76 couples from North Durham now waiting to start treatment the two primary care trusts covering the area, Derwentside and Durham and Chester-le-Street, decided to warn couples of the potentially long wait that they face.

Andrew Young, chief executive of Durham and Chester-le-Street Primary Care Trust - the official who commissions IVF treatment at Newcastle for County Durham and Darlington - said: "We very much regret the situation."

Mr Young said it was important to make couples aware of the waiting list situation "as this will give them the best opportunity to plan their future decisions".

The extra couples joining the waiting list for test-tube baby treatment is largely due to an increase in referrals since two gynaecologists with an interest in infertility treatment joined the University Hospital of North Durham. Two years ago, about 20 referrals a year were being made. That has risen to about 55 referrals a year.

Mr Young stressed that funding for fertility treatment compared well with other areas of the country.

To help reduce waiting times in the future all new couples who have joined the waiting list from January 1 this year will be initially offered only one cycle of treatment. A second cycle would be offered only when all those already on the waiting list have been offered treatment.