What is reciprocal IVF?
Reciprocal IVF, also known as partner IVF, is when one partner provides the egg and the other partner carries the pregnancy.
IVF for same-sex couples in Australia
Same-sex couple IVF, ICSI, and IUI may be used with donor sperm or eggs to enable LGBTQIA+ couples to have children. Depending on your choice of donor and the condition of the egg or sperm, your fertility specialist may advise that a certain ART approach is more suitable than the others.
IVF: In vitro fertilisation involves combining eggs with sperm in a laboratory. The sperm swims to the egg, burrows through its outer layers, and fuses its genetic material with the egg's for fertilisation. IVF may be used for same-sex couples regardless of which partner is providing the gametes. The embryo can be transferred to the uterus of either a surrogate or a partner with a uterus.
ICSI: Intracytoplasmic sperm injection is similar to the IVF process but instead of leaving the sperm to fertilise the egg, an embryologist injects a single, healthy sperm cell directly into each egg. Like IVF, ICSI can be considered for same-sex couples, with the help of surrogacy for those without a uterus.
IUI/donor insemination: Intrauterine insemination is appropriate only for people with a uterus using donor sperm. In this context, the common term is donor insemination. This technique involves either a course of ovulation stimulation for the partner carrying the pregnancy or timing their natural cycle, then inserting the donor sperm into their uterus at the time of ovulation.
What is reciprocal IVF?
Also known as partner IVF, reciprocal IVF is the term used when one partner provides the egg and the other partner carries the pregnancy. This approach is an extremely valuable solution as it enables both partners to play a significant role in the creation of the family, and can help you to both feel equally connected to your child. If you and your partner are planning on having more than one child, you may also consider swapping roles for future children, with the partner who provided the egg for the first child carrying the pregnancy for the second. Having the opportunity to both experience pregnancy and also have a child genetically related to you is a wonderful way of creating strong bonds within your growing family.
For same-sex couples: Surrogacy
A surrogate is an individual with a uterus who has volunteered to carry a pregnancy. Looking for surrogacy in Australia can be challenging, as laws prevent public advertising for a surrogate. You may find a surrogate, also known as a gestational carrier, through:
- Approaching a family member, friend, or other person known to you
- Word of mouth through your social circles
- Investigating your options overseas, bearing in mind that travelling for surrogacy may come with some significant legal and/or health risks to you and your future child as many countries do not closely regulate surrogacy arrangements
Though your gestational carrier cannot receive any payment for their participation, the cost of surrogacy can be significant as you may be expected to cover all reasonable expenses relating to your surrogate's medical care, in addition to the fertility treatment itself.
To protect the health and safety of your surrogate and your child, your surrogate must:
- Be older than 25 years old but not yet have reached menopause
- Have already had a successful pregnancy with their own child
- Have had no previous pregnancy complications
Egg and sperm freezing before transitioning
If you are an individual considering transitioning genders, it's important to be informed about your options for fertility preservation. As gender-affirming treatments can affect your fertility, some individuals choose to have children and complete their families prior to undergoing gender transition. For others, this may not be an option. In these situations, you may decide to safeguard your options for having children in the future.
For trans men: How does egg freezing work?
Before undertaking your transition, you may want to consider freezing your eggs. These can then be stored in our cryobank for use with assisted reproductive technologies such as ICSI if you choose to have children later on. Egg freezing involves:
- Ovulation stimulation with hormone injections to prompt your ovaries to produce multiple eggs
- An egg retrieval procedure, where these eggs are collected
- Freezing and storage, using a specialised technique known as vitrification
For trans women: How does sperm freezing work?
For individuals transitioning, sperm freezing can be a valuable method of preserving your fertility prior to your gender-affirming treatment. The sperm are carefully frozen in liquid nitrogen and can be stored in our cryobank facility for years until you're ready to use them. Thawed sperm may be used with IVF, ICSI, or IUI treatments, depending on their quality.
