Celebrating Diversity: Highlighting LGBTQ+ Families During Pride Month
LGBTQ+ family-building offers unique experiences that are worth celebrating — from intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) to third-party reproduction, like surrogacy. For Pride Month, it’s important to highlight the diversity of LGBTQ+ families and their incredible journeys to parenthood.
IUI and IVF
Couples consisting of two women, trans men, or non-binary individuals with a uterus are good candidates for IUI. During the IUI procedure, donor sperm is directly inserted into the uterus of the person who wants to become pregnant. IVF is a more complex fertility option but can allow both partners to contribute to the biology of their child. One partner can provide eggs, which are then fertilized in a lab with donor sperm and transferred to the uterus of the other partner, who will carry and deliver the baby.
Egg Donation and Surrogacy
Cisgender gay males, trans-female couples, and intended single fathers need an egg donor and a surrogate to help grow their families, as they can’t produce eggs or carry and deliver a child themselves. Both egg donors and surrogates are thoroughly screened to ensure they’re physically and emotionally healthy before they’re matched with intended parents. Once matched, the surrogate will undergo IVF using the donor eggs and the sperm of one of the intended parents, hopefully resulting in a successful pregnancy.
Fertility Preservation
Transgender individuals may choose to preserve their fertility before undergoing hormonal treatments or gender reassignment surgery. This gives them the opportunity to have biological children in the future. Fertility preservation options include sperm banking, egg freezing, and embryo freezing.
Celebrating Your Journey to Parenthood
No matter how you become a parent, you and your journey are worth celebrating. If you need help navigating your LGBTQ+ fertility options, New York Reproductive Wellness has you covered. Our expert team celebrates all couples and individuals, providing high-quality fertility care services throughout Nassau County, Suffolk County, and New York City. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact us today.
