28 June, 2021
3 fertility treatments for female couples
At HC Fertility we have been accompanying the LGBTI+ community for years, helping lesbians, bisexuals, transgender, intersex people, as well as the rest of sexual and gender diversities to achieve their dream of having a baby.
The right to motherhood and fatherhood is one of the claims of LGTBI+ collective.
So, on this important day, HC Fertility wants to inform you of all the available options we offer to fulfill the dream of having a child, as this is a very common question in patients who want to take the plunge.
Couples of women have different options to become mothers
There are several assisted reproduction treatments available for female couples.
We can assist you and assess your case in order to advise you on which one would work better for the couple, depending on each case.
Regardless of the technique applied, it is necessary to draw upon to semen from an anonymous donor, which is obtained from a semen bank, with total confidentiality, anonymity, and no legal rights on the future baby from the donor´s part.
The sperm donor selection processes are rigorous
The sperm donor selection processes are rigorous, and they have to go under all the tests required by current legislation prior to donation, which ensures the semen optimum quality.
The donor is chosen according to the blood group and physical characteristics of the woman who is going to receive the semen (hair color, eyes color, height, etc.)
There is the possibility of carrying out a preliminary study to ensure that there is no transmission on hereditary diseases.
Genetic matching can be done if the couple decides so. The woman who will be the recipient of the semen undergoes the study of recessive diseases and then we carry out the genetic matching with the donor.
A personalized treatment is defined for each couple of women, depending on each case.
Artificial Insemination (IAC)
The first treatment that a lesbian couple could resort to is Artificial Insemination (IUI) with donor semen.
This process is the simplest one, and it consists of placing the seminal sample in the uterus of the woman who wishes to become pregnant.
It is carried out in the consultation using a cannula and directly injecting the prepared semen sample into the woman’s uterus, taking into account the best moment of ovulation (after ultrasound control by our gynecologist) to achieve the success of the treatment.
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
If there is any fertility problem in the woman who wishes to become pregnant, due to age (over 35), ovulation problems, endometriosis, a condition in the fallopian tubes, etc., we resort to In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) with donor sperm.
This process consists of fertilizing the woman’s oocyte (previously extracted) with the donor’s semen in the laboratory, to later transfer the best resulting embryo (selected by our embryologists considering the morphological quality characteristics) in the woman’s uterus, increasing the success of achieving the pregnancy.
Receiving the couple's ovules (R.O.P.A)
The other option is called ROPA method, commonly known as shared motherhood. At HC Fertility we have been carrying it out for years.
It is a specific procedure when both women wish to participate in the process: one provides the oocytes and the other will receive the embryos (fertilized from the oocyte of the first with donor sperm).
Thereby, one of them will be the mother who contributes with the genetics, and the other one will be the one who carries out the pregnancy and gives birth.
*A fundamental requirement to be eligible for this option is that the couple must be married, by Law.
A complete fertility diagnosis on both women to decide who will be the one to get pregnant
When a couple of women comes to our center, we perform a complete fertility diagnosis on both of them to make sure they are healthy, and help them decide which one would be more suitable to be the egg donor and which one would carry out the pregnancy, so we can increase the success´ probabilities of the treatment.
Ensuring motherhood and paternity for transgender people is possible
On the other hand, preservation is also a highly required treatment in cases of transsexuals, regardless of gender, who wish to have the possibility of having biological children. Ideally, before starting their change process, they preserve their gametes (eggs or sperm) so that they can use them in the future.
Do you have any questions that we can solve for you?
Our HC Fertility team will be glad to assist you!
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