Same-sex female couples: How can two moms start a family?
It is clear that assisted reproduction techniques have revolutionised reproductive medicine, as demonstrated by both the Nobel Prize awarded to Robert Edwards for the birth of the world’s first test‑tube baby in 1978, as well as the more than 8 million children brought into this world thanks to in vitro fertilisation since then.
But assisted reproduction techniques have also revolutionised the concept of family by transforming it into something as encompassing as all the forms of love that exist.
This means that nowadays couples with infertility are not the only ones who go to assisted reproduction clinics to receive help to start their family.
Single women and same‑sex female couples also seek help from fertility clinics to form the new family models we are very proud to be a part of.
Are you in a same‑sex female relationship and are you thinking of starting a family?
Read on and we will tell you what treatment options exist so that you and your partner can become mums:
Fertility treatment options:
Artificial insemination
Artificial insemination is the simplest treatment and therefore the most affordable option offered by fertility clinics.
Artificial insemination involves depositing donor sperm inside the female’s uterus around the time of ovulation. It is a straightforward and painless procedure that is carried out in the doctor’s office without the need for sedation, surgery or hospital admittance.
In vitro fertilisation
In vitro fertilisation is indicated for women in cases where artificial insemination has been ruled out as a feasible option due to age, ovarian reserve and/or after several failed cycles of insemination.
It is a somewhat more complex treatment as it requires a short surgical intervention to collect the eggs through a procedure called the egg retrieval.
After the egg retrieval the patient’s eggs are fertilised in the laboratory with donor sperm. From the embryos that are obtained we will select the best quality one to be transferred to the patient’s uterus.
Double donor IVF
This treatment involves using donor eggs and sperm.
It is the best treatment alternative for patients who cannot use their own eggs due to advanced maternal age and prior ovarian surgery, among other reasons.
Embryo Adoption
This treatment option consists in implanting an embryo which has been donated by another couple who has already achieved their dream of becoming parents. As they do not wish to fall pregnant again, they decided to donate their remaining embryos to other couples dealing with infertility.
The ROPA method
This method, unlike the other treatment options mentioned above, allows both mothers to participate in the process. It is a cycle of in vitro fertilisation in which one female provides her eggs and the other undergoes the embryo transfer to get pregnant.
In this blog post about the ROPA method in assisted reproduction we explain to you ‑in detail‑ what this treatment involves step by step.
The ROPA method is currently the most popular technique at fertility clinics as both females play a very important role on their journey to motherhood and get to actively participate in the process.
It is important that you understand that women who wish to have children through the ROPA method must be married. This way, both will legally be the mothers of the future child.
How do we carry out the donor selection process at URE Centro Gutenberg?
The donor selection process is very strict and focuses primarily on sperm quality to achieve favourable pregnancy rates. It also focuses on the absence of sexually transmitted diseases and hereditary genetic abnormalities.
Here you can read more about the selection of sperm donors in addition to the testing carried out on them.
Selection of the donor sperm sample used for each particular case will be carried out solely by the medical team. The selection process will be based on the immune and physical characteristics (phenotype) of the couple.
We hope we have helped you to better understand which fertility treatment is the most appropriate for your particular case if you are thinking of starting a family and are in a same‑sex female relationship.
Would you like to read some real patient stories to be convinced? Visit our Real Stories blog to read testimonies from our patients who form part of the Gutenberg family. These patients have managed to become parents thanks to assisted reproduction treatment.
As always, at URE Centro Gutenberg we are here to answer any questions you may still have and to assist you with your particular case.
You can make an appointment with our specialists in assisted reproduction or calling us on 0034 952 12 25 65.
