Reciprocal IVF makes dreams of motherhood a reality

Park Avenue Fertility and Reproductive Medicine is proud to support the family-building dreams of the LGBTQ+ community. With ongoing advances in reproductive medicine, including IVF for lesbian couples and reciprocal IVF, the methods to start and grow families continue to evolve.

When both partners of a lesbian couple want to share in the journey to motherhood, reciprocal IVF is a great option. Same-sex female couples seeking fertility care in Connecticut can rely on the experience and support of Dr. Andrew Levi to guide this process.

Building a family with IVF for lesbian couples

IVF is a commonly used method of assisted reproductive technology that involves the fertilization of eggs and sperm in a laboratory. Reciprocal IVF is a variation of IVF that allows both female partners to be active participants in IVF. Both partners can experience the joy of starting a family. One partner will provide the egg and be the genetic mother. That egg will be fertilized with donor sperm and transferred to the uterus of the other partner, who will carry the pregnancy.

Dr. Levi is happy to guide same-sex female couples seeking fertility care in Connecticut. He personalizes every cycle of IVF for lesbian couples, knowing every couple is unique and has important questions.

• Who will provide the egg and who will carry the pregnancy? Dr. Levi conducts thorough fertility evaluations, which can help determine if one partner is a better match for providing the egg or carrying the pregnancy. This begins with an assessment of medical history. Diagnostic testing with an ultrasound can assess ovarian reserve and examine the condition of the uterus. These results can inform decision-making and guide the process of IVF for lesbian couples.
• How will we find donor sperm? You can use a known donor or select a donor from a sperm bank. A couple using a sperm bank can specify specific characteristics, including education, height, hair and eye color, race and ethnicity.
• What are the steps of this type of IVF? The woman providing the egg will take hormone medications before egg retrieval to stimulate the growth of ovarian follicles that will later produce mature eggs. Her retrieved eggs will be fertilized with donated sperm. The resulting embryo will be transferred to her partner with a frozen embryo transfer.

Sharing the joy of motherhood with reciprocal IVF

IVF for lesbian couples is an effective way to deliver on the dreams of building a family. Park Avenue Fertility fully supports the hopes of all patients, and reciprocal IVF is a wonderful way for both female partners to share in the journey to parenthood. If you are seeking expert and personalized fertility care in Connecticut, contact us to learn more.