There are many lesbian fertility options that can help couples start or grow their families
The Southern California Center for Reproductive Medicine is proud to provide many lesbian fertility options. Doors to a family that our Southern California fertility center opens include donor sperm IUI, donor sperm IVF and reciprocal IVF.
Donor sperm IUI is a relatively simple lesbian fertility option
When our Southern California fertility center team recommends donor sperm IUI, we realize that choosing a sperm donor is a big decision. There are two options available for selecting a sperm donor.
- Lesbian couples may select a friend or a family member as their sperm donor. This option is popular because many couples want to know the father of their child. However, when couples select this option, there is a wait because the donor’s sperm must be in quarantine for six months before use. This requirement is essential to prevent the spread of infectious diseases like HIV.
- Couples can also choose a sperm bank and an anonymous donor. Sperm banks can provide couples with information about the donor’s appearance, education, health and personality. With this option, there is no six-month wait because all the sperm has already been tested and quarantined.
After the couple selects a sperm donor, they can proceed with donor sperm IUI. Our Southern California fertility center recommends this efficient procedure when fertility testing doesn’t reveal any significant issues with a woman’s fertility.
On the day of the procedure, your doctor will carefully guide a flexible catheter into a woman’s uterus. Once it is in the right position, he will release the washed and prepared donor sperm. Sometimes, he will also recommend that a woman take medications to induce ovulation. Doing so can increase the likelihood of IUI success.
Reciprocal IVF allows both lesbian partners to take part in the family-building process
If fertility testing reveals significant fertility issues, our team may recommend donor sperm IVF for lesbian couples. We may also recommend a procedure known as reciprocal IVF if both partners want to actively take part in the pregnancy.
Reciprocal IVF is very similar to traditional IVF, but it has one key difference. One partner donates her eggs and the other carries the pregnancy. One partner will take fertility medication to stimulate egg production. Then, Dr. Anderson or Dr. Royster will perform an egg retrieval when her eggs are mature. The eggs will be fertilized with the donor sperm in the lab, and the doctor will transfer a resulting normal embryo to the other partner’s uterus. This woman will then carry the pregnancy and deliver the baby.
Many patients select this lesbian fertility option because it is an excellent way to allow both partners to be intimately connected with their child.
Looking for more information about lesbian fertility options? Please contact the Southern California Center for Reproductive Medicine today.
