The Center for Advanced Reproductive Services is a part of the First Fertility family of centers. Learn More About The Center.

Family Building for Lesbian Couples & Individuals

We welcome lesbian couples and individuals who desire their own biological children. For same sex female couples, one partner may choose to both provide the eggs and carry the pregnancy. In this case, intrauterine insemination (IUI) is used. Another option is for one partner to provide the egg and the other partner carry the pregnancy. In order to accomplish this, in vitro fertilization is necessary, as the partner providing the egg(s) would be stimulated with hormones and have her eggs harvested and fertilized and then transferred into her partner’s uterus to carry the pregnancy.

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) with Donor Sperm

IUI is the process of placing donor sperm directly into the uterus. Sperm used to fertilize the eggs can be from a friend, relative or anonymous donor through a sperm bank.

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

During traditional IVF, several medications are taken to develop multiple ovarian follicles that contain mature eggs capable of fertilization. We closely monitor this process using blood tests and vaginal ultrasounds. Mature eggs are retrieved through a simple procedure under ultrasound guidance. We then expose the retrieved eggs to sperm and transfer the resulting embryos back into the uterus.

Many women choose something called Reciprocal IVF or Shared Conception. This allows both partners to be involved in the conception of their baby. The eggs from one partner are inseminated with donor sperm. Assuming embryo(s) result, one or more are transferred into the other partner who  carries the pregnancy.

Gestational Carrier

When a patient experiences fertility problems that prevents them from carrying a pregnancy to term, they can utilize what is known as a gestational carrier. During this process, the patient undergoes an IVF cycle, where we stimulate the woman’s ovaries with hormones and retrieve her eggs. The eggs and donor sperm are used to produce embryos. The resulting embryos are then transferred into the uterus of the gestational carrier – a woman who becomes pregnant with the embryos of another couple. She is given hormones to synchronize her uterus and support a pregnancy. She carries and delivers a child for a couple who cannot carry their own pregnancy. The gestational carrier has no genetic link to the fetus that she carries.

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