Producers have apparently started looking this week for an actress to play a young woman who can carry their baby, according to a casting sheet uncovered by Filmjerk.com, a Web site.

The casting sheet, distributed earlier this month to Hollywood agents, calls for the birth mother to be between the ages of 17 and 22.

She'll appear in at least two unspecified episodes filmed from October 13 to 17 and January 12 through 16. The part may also call for appearences on a couple of episodes in between.

A spokesperson for Warner Bros., the studio that produces "Friends," could not confirm the report.

But industry observers said yesterday that the surrogate mother storyline may be just one of several options producers have under consideration for the coming season.

Chandler (Matthew Perry) and Monica (Courtney Cox) have been trying to have a baby for the last few seasons, which has been one of the show's continuing storylines.