• Education, Information & Consultation
• In-vitro fertilization (IVF)
• Male Factor Infertility
• Egg Donation
• Gestational Carriers (Surrogacy)
• Gay Surrogacy
• Reciprocal IVF for Lesbian Couples
• Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS)
• Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD)
• Egg Freezing (Elective & Medical)
• Embryo Donation

» Rhonda Levy » Services » Reciprocal IVF for Lesbian Couples ("Partner IVF" and "Co-IVF")

Reciprocal IVF for Lesbian Couples

Lesbian couples sometimes have an interest in in-vitro fertilization (IVF), not because they necessarily have fertility issues, but because they would like to share the experience of having a baby with one another in a particular way. This type of IVF, where one woman carries a baby created with the other woman's eggs and donor sperm, is referred to as "Reciprocal IVF", "Partner IVF" or "Co-IVF".

The process begins with the choice of a sperm donor. Once that choice is made, the medical procedure can begin. The menstrual cycles of the couple are synchronized and the ovaries of the woman whose eggs will be used are stimulated with fertility drugs for approximately 8-10 days. Her eggs are then retrieved and fertilized with the donor's sperm.

While the stimulation process takes place, the woman who will carry the baby uses medications to thicken her uterine lining so that it will be prepared to accept the transferred embryo or embryos. The embryo transfer occurs either 3 or 5-6 days following the egg retrieval.

Topics Covered When We Educate Our Clients About Reciprocal IVF

• IVF;
• Guidelines of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) re sperm donation;
• Guidelines of the ASRM re access to fertility treatment by gays, lesbians, and unmarried persons;
• Comparative analysis of world renowned, elite fertility clinics on the cutting edge that report success rates for IVF that are among the highest in the world, are "lesbian friendly" and "lesbian sensitive", and have considerable experience with Reciprocal IVF;
• Comparative analysis of the best performing "lesbian friendly" and "lesbian sensitive" fertility clinics for Reciprocal IVF in your geographic area;
• Questions to ask at an initial consultation with a fertility doctor about Reciprocal IVF;
• Understanding the possible levels of information sharing and contact between recipients and sperm donor;
• Using a sperm bank to find a sperm donor;
• Most rigorous standards of sperm donor screening by sperm banks;
• Comparative analysis of sperm banks;
• Using a known sperm donor;
• Lawyers who specialize in Reciprocal IVF and third party reproduction; and
• Psychologists, social workers and therapists who specialize in the emotional and psychological considerations of Reciprocal IVF and third party reproduction.