Everyone has the right to become parents, which is why the Fertility Center of Dallas offers a range of fertility services for LGBT families. From donor sperm and donor egg options, to IVF and gestational surrogates – we work closely with LGBT individuals and couples as we help you build your growing family.
Here are some of the most common fertility treatments used to help lesbian, gay and transgender individuals and couples.
If you are a healthy woman and you ovulate regularly, you’ll probably use a combination of a sperm donor and IUI to conceive. However, there are cases where patients have existing infertility factors, they weren’t aware of. For this reason, we recommend women undergo the full fertility testing spectrum. You’ll save time, energy and money – ensuring we select the best lesbian fertility treatment for you.
In addition to getting a full scope of your personal medical and reproductive history, we’ll also ask questions about your family medical history and perform a routine physical. We’ll also run the standard female fertility tests, including:
If both partners are open to carrying the baby, we recommend you both undergo fertility testing. This allows us to discuss which partner should play which role to achieve a quicker conception and the safest, healthiest pregnancy. For example, if one woman has an infertility factor and the other does not, we may recommend that the former provide the eggs and the latter carry the baby.
In almost all cases, our lesbian patients utilize donor sperm. If this is the path you pursue:
Read, Using a Sperm Donor for IUI to learn more about the sperm donor selection process.
IUI for lesbians is a straightforward procedure, and not unlike a routine pelvic exam. The physician will carefully insert a catheter into your cervix and then release the washed and prepared sperm into your uterus. At the end of two weeks, we’ll know if the procedure was successful.
IVF is another fertility treatment option for same-sex female couples. IVF is used when the partner opting to carry the baby has certain infertility factors that make it difficult to conceive via IUI or where IUI cycles were unsuccessful.
In this case, we can retrieve her eggs and fertilize them in the lab, proceeding with IVF as usual. We can also use donor eggs if/when egg quantity or quality are an issue. In either case, IVF for lesbian couples works the same as traditional IVF.
Reciprocal IVF – also called partner IVF – is a popular option for lesbian couples. This version of IVF is used when there are issues with egg quality/quantity for the woman hoping to carry the baby as well as for couples where both women want to be more intimately connected to the pregnancy journey. Either partner can opt to be the egg donor or gestational carrier.
Reciprocal IVF works just like traditional IVF, only we retrieve eggs from one partner, fertilize them, and then transfer them to the partner opting to carry the pregnancy. If there are no existing infertility diagnoses, you can change roles the next time around should you opt to have another child in the future.
The Fertility Center of Dallas is excited to support gay couples in and around the Dallas area as you explore all options for a safe and connected pregnancy and parenting experience. There are several options available to you, including the use of donor eggs and sperm, IVF and gestational carriers – also called gestational surrogates.
The combination of semen analysis, egg donor selection and expert IVF treatment will help your family building dreams come true.
All gay couples will need to select an egg donor for their IVF procedure. This can take place one of two ways:
If there are no existing infertility diagnoses, you can change roles the next time around should you opt to have another child in the future.
In either case, the Fertility Center of Dallas will work carefully with you to make the best choice for your growing family and your future.
Pregnancies requiring a surrogate require both an egg donor and a woman willing to carry the resulting embryo(s) for the duration of the pregnancy. Historically, both the donor and the carrier could be the same woman. However, this arrangement is illegal in Texas.
As a result, gay couples in Texas use gestational carriers – meaning eggs from a donor are fertilized in the lab and the resulting embryo(s) is transferred into a separate, gestational carrier’s uterus.
Once the eggs and the gestational carrier are ready, your baby will be conceived using IVF. Depending on your decision, we will use sperm from one or both partners (some partners opt to have their semen samples mixed for the fertilization process). If an infertility diagnosis or genetic risk is an issue, you may also opt to use donor sperm.
We recommend pursuing counseling, as well as professional legal counsel, to thoroughly prepare yourself for the entire process, and to navigate a respectful and healthy relationship with the chosen gestational carrier.
Please contact us to learn more about your LGBT fertility options or to schedule a consultation. We’re excited to play such an important role in your fertility journey and we promise to provide compassionate and personalized care from the moment you step through our door, until your beautiful baby is born.
Get Started on Your Journey Today!