Growing Your Family: IUI for LGBT Couples
LGBT couples who want to have children face many challenges, but fertility treatment can help. Intrauterine insemination (IUI) makes pregnancy possible for many LGBT couples so that they may experience the joys of parenthood.
At the Los Angeles Reproductive Center, Dr. Marc Kalan and Dr. Nurit Winkler believe all loving couples should be able to have children, which is why we're proud to provide IUI for LGBT couples living in and around Encino, CA, Bakersfield, CA, and Los Angeles, CA.
What Is IUI?
Intrauterine insemination, commonly called IUI, is a fertility treatment in which sperm is directly inserted into the uterus with the goal of fertilizing an egg and resulting in pregnancy.
The procedure begins with timing the woman's cycle to coincide IUI with ovulation. Once ovulation has occurred, the sperm is prepared for insemination in a process that both cleans and concentrates the sample.
A catheter is then inserted through the cervix and into the uterus. A syringe holding the sperm is then injected into the uterus through the catheter. After resting for 10 to 20 minutes, the patient is then able to go about their day.
After 14 days, a pregnancy test will be taken to see if IUI successfully resulted in pregnancy.
IUI Considerations for LGBT Couples
LGBT couples have several fertility treatment options for having children but IUI is one of the simplest and most cost effective options for many LGBT couples.
When considering IUI, LGBT couples will need to determine who will carry the baby and who will provide the sperm. Additionally, trans partners will need to stop hormone therapy in order to help their fertility. This is especially important for trans men who plan to undergo IUI, since IUI is timed to ovulation.
Deciding Who Will Carry the Baby
Once an LGBT couple has decided to pursue having children through IUI, they will need to decide who will carry the baby.
Even if one partner is the preferred carrier, both partner's medical histories will be considered. Sometimes a medical complication can make pregnancy too high-risk for the intended carrier and instead, the other partner may be better suited for pregnancy.
Deciding on a Sperm Donor
In addition to choosing which woman will carry the baby, couples must also decide on a sperm donor. Sperm donors may be someone the couple knows, like a close friend, or they may choose an anonymous donor through a donor agency.
Men who donate sperm to an agency are required to complete a screening process in which they are checked for infectious disease, like HIV, and genetic testing may be performed to eliminate potential donors who carrier certain genetic disorders.
If choosing a loved one as a sperm donor, couples may still have the semen screened or ask their friend to undergo an evaluation to check for potential genetic disorders.
Schedule a Consultation
IUI is an excellent option for LGBT couples to have children of their own. If you and your partner would like more information about IUI or other treatment options for growing your family, call (818) 946-8051 or contact us online to schedule a consultation at Los Angeles Reproductive Center.