LGBTQ Family Planning
Creating Family Diversity
Red Rock Fertility Center is focused on helping people become parents and start their families. This support is inclusive of gay and lesbian couples and the unique reproductive challenges they may face.
We want our patients to understand all available baby options for gay couples and help make their parenthood dreams come true. Our facility offers both intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF). Find out which might work best for you, health-wise and which option meets your goals as parents-to-be.
Reproductive Options for LGBTQ Families
There are several options for lesbian women who wish to start a family. IVF is most commonly used, although IUI can be used when a donor’s sperm is inseminated into one or both partners. When deciding how to start the fertility process, there are two basic questions to consider.
Will you or your partner carry the baby?
Some couples wish to experience the joy of pregnancy and have the opportunity to carry their child. If this is the case, you have several options to consider. You can:
- Use eggs of one partner, fertilized by a donor sperm, and implant the embryo into the other partner.
- Use eggs from both partners, fertilized by a donor sperm, and implant the embryo into one chosen partner.
- Use eggs from both partners, fertilized by a donor sperm, and implant the embryo into both partners.
- Use both donor eggs and donor sperm and implant the embryo into one chosen partner.
Will you have a gestational carrier?
Choosing a gestational carrier is another option for lesbian couples. These alternatives also apply to gay men who want to know their family-building possibilities as well.
- For lesbian couples, use the eggs of one partner, fertilized by a donor sperm, and implant the embryo into a gestational carrier.
- For gay male couples, use donor eggs and sperm from one or both partners and implant the embryo into a gestational carrier.
- For gay male couples, use donor eggs and donor sperm and implant the embryo into a gestational carrier.
If you are considering a gestational carrier, we have can refer you to our trusted list of surrogacy agencies including Gestational Concepts. We understand how important a decision like this is and want to provide you with the resources and recommendations you may need to guide your choice.