Family Planning With Inclusivity

Family planning can be a difficult topic for any couple, especially if infertility is an issue. However for LGBTQ+ couples, natural conception usually wasn’t an option. Historically, the most common pathway for starting a family was adoption. But then, surrogacy opened up new opportunities and often guaranteed that the child had a biological connection to at least one of the future parents. But these days, more options are opening up, giving hopeful LGBTQ+ parents an opportunity to be involved from conception.

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Exploring options for lesbian couples

Lesbian couples have several options for conception. Surrogacy is a common choice, allowing a third-party woman to carry a pregnancy to term. Sometimes the egg is supplied by one of the couple, the surrogate, or from an undisclosed donor. Regardless of the egg donor, the egg will be fertilized with donor sperm and then the fertilized embryo is transferred via artificial insemination.

A twist on IVF

Sometimes, reciprocal in vitro fertilization (IVF) is an option. One partner will supply the egg and the other carries the embryo, but donor sperm is still required. An alternative is reciprocal effortless IVF which allows both women to participate. In such a scenario, the eggs and sperm are combined in a test tube and then transferred to a government-approved device. One of the women will serve as an incubator host and have the device inserted in the vagina for five days. After the time has passed, the device is removed and the embryo is then transferred to the other member’s uterus who will serve as the gestational host until the pregnancy reaches full term.

Trans couples and pregnancy

A recent study reviewed sperm quality for transgender women who completed hormone replacement therapy (HRT). In the cohort of 212 transgender women, undergoing HRT tended to yield lower sperm counts. As a result, the study recommended fertility preservation ahead of hormone treatments. By collecting a semen sample prior to treatments, trans couples can still conceive a baby using the partners’ eggs and sperm rather than donor sources. Alternatively, surrogacy is still an option.

Gay couples and surrogacy

When neither member of a gay couple is transgender, surrogacy is one of the most common methods for conceiving a child through pregnancy. Sometimes the couple can choose to provide sperm or alternatively use donor sperm and eggs. Surrogacy is an established fertility pathway and as such many states have strict guidelines in place to create safeguards that protect the rights of all parties involved. This includes the prospective parents, surrogates, or any gestational carriers involved.

Multiple pathways to parenthood

These days, whom a person chooses to love or build a life with no longer dictates whether having children is possible. More importantly, individuals that identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community are no longer limited to adoption or foster care. While both are noble routes, if a couple wants to have a child that is biologically linked to one of the two, assisted reproductive therapy makes this dream a reality.