LGBTQ+ Family Planning: 5 Options for Having a Baby

Studies report that more lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people than ever are starting families. A 2010 census stated that 19% of same-sex couples were raising children, and a 2013 study showed that 51% of LGBTQ+ people of all ages either already had children or were interested in having children in the future.

At the Center for Human Reproduction located in the Upper East Side of New York, New York, our expert team of infertility specialists led by Norbert Gleicher, MD, FACOG, FACS, and David Barad, MD, MS, FACOG, understands that the journey to parenthood looks a little bit different for LGBTQ+ families. We provide a respectful and safe environment for your customized approach to growing your family.

Here are five options we offer to help you have a baby:

1. Gestational carrier

If you’re a single male or a same-sex male couple looking to grow your family, the first step you need to take is to find a gestational carrier – someone with a uterus who can carry a pregnancy to full term. Our team at the Center for Human Reproduction can refer you to a surrogacy agency that can help you find a good match and walk you through the legal proceedings.

2. Egg donation

A same-sex male couple using a gestational carrier also requires egg donation. You and your partner choose an egg from our extensive database and then provide a sperm donation. Next, egg fertilization takes place to create one or more embryos that are then transferred to your gestational carrier.

3. Sperm donation

For single women or same-sex female couples, sperm donation is needed to create an embryo. We can refer you to a reputable sperm bank, or you can use sperm from someone you know. You also need to decide whose eggs you’ll use to create the embryo in our lab.

4. Intrauterine insemination (IUI)

If you’re a same-sex female couple and one of you has a fully functioning reproductive system and desires to use your own eggs, you can use intrauterine insemination (IUI). During this process, one of you takes ovulation medication before the donor sperm is artificially inseminated into the uterus at the right time.

5. In vitro fertilization (IVF)

In vitro fertilization (IVF) has a high rate of conception whether you’re using your uterus or your partner’s uterus or a gestational carrier. For IVF, a donor egg and donor sperm are combined in a laboratory before the fertilized egg is implanted into the uterus.

Although we have a very limited amount, donor embryos are also an available option.

Whatever you and your partner decide is best for you, our team at the Center for Human Reproduction is here for you. To schedule a consultation to discuss your options for having a baby, give us a call at 626-385-7918 or use our online booking tool today.