LGBT Surrogacy

LGBT Surrogacy

Some members of the LGBT community are under the misconception that they are not be able to have children of their own as part of a same-sex or transgender couple. However, there are many different reproductive options available to you, regardless of your sexual orientation.

Whether you are interested in using your own sperm and eggs, or those of a donor or a surrogate, there is a surrogacy arrangement that will surely help you reach your goal of bringing your baby into the world. Below, we examine the different types of LGBT surrogacy options available to LGBT individuals or couples who have been dreaming of growing their families.

Completing Your Family with Gestational Surrogacy

Gestational surrogacy is a wonderful option for LGBT couples. In gestational surrogacy, a surrogate mother carries your child for you after becoming pregnant through in vitro fertilization (IVF).

In an IVF procedure, donor sperm and eggs or those of the intended parents are fertilized medically, and the embryo is then implanted in the surrogate mother’s uterus so that she may become pregnant with your baby.  

Gestational surrogacy is often far more expensive than traditional surrogacy due to the fact that the surrogate mother may need to undergo multiple rounds of IVF before she becomes pregnant. However, this form of surrogacy does allow one LGBT partner to be the biological parent of your baby, making it one of the most sought-after types of surrogacy despite the costs.

When a Traditional Surrogacy Arrangement Could Be a Better Fit

If you are researching traditional surrogacy methods, you are more than likely part of a same-sex couple who either has viable sperm or unviable eggs. We say this because a traditional surrogacy arrangement means that the surrogate mother will be the biological mother of the baby, as her own eggs will be used to become pregnant.

A medical procedure known as intrauterine insemination (IUI) is used in this form of surrogacy and involves the surrogate mother having either donor sperm or that of the intended parents implanted into her uterus during ovulation so that she may become pregnant.

The goal is to have a greater number of viable sperm available, which will increase her chances of her eggs being fertilized. For many families, this will be the more cost-effective option, but because the surrogate mother will be genetically related to the baby, her parental rights will have to be terminated, which sometimes makes intended parents uneasy. However, a pre-birth order can outline these details and will be included in your surrogacy contract no matter which path of surrogacy you choose to go down.

Consult with a Friendly Surrogacy Agency

Same-sex couples and individuals who are a part of the LGBT community have several great options for having children of their own. There are many sperm donors, egg donors, and surrogate mothers across the world who are ready to help you grow your family.

You can begin your surrogacy journey today by reaching out to a friendly LGBT surrogacy agency like Baby Steps Surrogacy Center, Inc. Our agency is prepared to help you every step of the way. Schedule your first appointment as soon as possible by clicking on the contact button on our site or by calling our office directly at 412-281-9906.