What Egg Donation & Surrogacy Mean for LGBTQ+ Family-Building
The decision to use an egg donor or find a surrogate has had a profound and transformative effect on LGBTQ+ families. With remarkable advancements in assisted reproductive technologies (ART) and LGBTQ+ family planning, egg donation and surrogacy have emerged as increasingly popular options, revolutionizing the family-building process for the LGBTQ+ community, especially for gay men and same-sex couples. These options offer incredible opportunities and open up new possibilities for LGBTQ+ parents to establish a biological connection with their children while experiencing the immense joys of parenthood.
What is Egg Donation?
Egg donation is a process where a donor contributes their eggs to be used in ART procedures, enabling gay men and others to establish a biological connection with their children. The process of egg donation involves a few key steps:
1. Donor Selection:
An egg donor is carefully selected based on the intended parent’s (IPs) desired traits and characteristics, allowing same-sex male couples and other LGBTQ+ individuals to select donors who match their preferences.
2. Fertility Treatment:
Once a donor is selected, the donated eggs are fertilized with sperm, either from one or both IPs, such as in the case of same-sex male couples, or from a donor. Fertilization of the donated egg occurs through in vitro fertilization (IVF). The resulting embryos are then transferred to the intended parent or a gestational surrogate to carry the baby to full-term pregnancy.
What is Surrogacy?
Surrogacy is another successful family-building option for LGBTQ+ individuals and couples. A gestational surrogate is a person who carries and gives birth to a baby on behalf of another individual or couple. It’s important to note that surrogates do not contribute genetically to the child. Instead, their uterus and body provide a nurturing prenatal environment to help the baby develop and grow. The surrogacy process can be summarized as follows:
1. Finding a Surrogate:
Intended parents (IPs), such as same-sex gay men, can work with a surrogacy agency to find a suitable surrogate. Fertility Source Companies excels at finding and screening qualified surrogates and compiling a comprehensive database of surrogate candidates for IPs to choose from, based on their preferences and requirements. We also are proud supporters of the LGBTQ+ community and have helped many gay intended parents achieve their ultimate dream of having a child.
2. Fertility Treatments:
After choosing a surrogate, the parties involved in the medical procedure (i.e., the surrogate and egg donor) undergo fertility treatments to create embryos through IVF. These treatments involve hormonal medicine injections that prepare the eggs for maturity and the surrogate for pregnancy. After the sperm is introduced to the donated egg and IVF is successful, the embryo is transferred to the surrogate's uterus.
Egg Donation and Surrogacy for Gay Men
Access to new ART treatments is crucial for gay men, who face unique challenges in traditional family-building methods. Egg donation and surrogacy provide an exciting pathway to biological parenthood. Through the IVF process, gay men can utilize their own sperm to fertilize donated eggs. This creates genetically linked embryos that can be transferred to a surrogate's uterus, allowing for a direct genetic connection to the intended parents' child.
Explore the Egg Donation and Surrogacy for LGBTQ+ Family-Building
Egg donation and surrogacy have revolutionized family-building for LGBTQ+ individuals and couples, providing them with transformative options that were not available a few decades ago. These advanced fertility care techniques help LGBTQ+ families thrive, while also fostering inclusivity. Discover more about the possibilities of egg donation and surrogacy to begin your journey toward parenthood.
