Innovative Fertility accepting insurance 3500 N Sepulveda Blvd #130, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Gay Fertility

Explore Gay Fertility Options at Innovative Fertility Center

Gay couples in a loving relationship are no longer relegated to the sidelines as favorite uncles. Today, there are several traditional and cutting-edge techniques that can enable you to experience the joy of gay parenting. Dr. Mark Rispler and Joshua J. Berger MD, PhD can discuss the many options available to you and help you decide which gay parenting option is best for your unique situation.

Before You Begin Your Journey

After much thoughtful consideration, most prospective gay parents know which partner’s sperm they want to use or whether a genetic link is important to them. Your doctor will assist you in choosing from the following options:

Sperm from an Individual: Gay couples may decide to use the sperm from one partner to fertilize an egg. Appearance, genetic history or general health may be factors that help the couple decide whose sperm to use. In this case, the sperm will be tested for infectious diseases, and known risk factors.

Sperm from Both Partners: If both partners want an equal chance of sharing their DNA with the resulting embryo, couples may submit sperm from both partners. We can mix the samples so that without a test, no one is completely certain whose DNA the baby carries. Or, you may opt to implant two embryos, each created with the sperm of each partner.

Donor Sperm: If there are health concerns, male infertility issues or a history of genetic abnormalities in your family, then you can acquire fully-tested donor sperm from someone known to you or from an anonymous sperm donor. Sperm banks enable you to have input on certain characteristics such as race, physique, hair and eye color and special talents.

Male Infertility: Advancing age, hormone deficiencies, stress, cancer treatment, sexually transmitted disease, steroid use and other genetic, lifestyle or environmental factors can affect male fertility. If a genetic link to the child is critical, then you may want to be tested to see if fertility treatment can improve your chance of success with gay parenting.

The Next Nine Months

After deciding how the egg will be fertilized, gay couples or individuals need to have an egg donor in place and determine who will carry the resulting embryo to term. Innovative Fertility Center can help you with each of these steps along the path to gay parenting.

Donor Eggs: Cryopreservation has made it easier than ever for gay couples to acquire frozen eggs. The donors are anonymous, yet they provide details on their genetic and cultural backgrounds, including education, hobbies and skills. The other option available to gay couples is to use a known donor. The woman will undergo standard IVF fertility treatment to increase production of viable eggs, which will then be harvested for your use. If she is related to one of the partners, then there will be a genetic link to the baby. However, we cannot use the egg and sperm of siblings or blood relatives.

Surrogate or Gestational Carrier: Innovative Fertility recommends that gay couples use the services of a gestational surrogate who shares no biological connection to the child. With a Gestational Surrogate you can still be involved in the excitement of the pregnancy. Many gestational carriers see the service they provide as a way of helping others and welcome contact from you. California is a surrogacy friendly state, and you can rest assured that gestational carriers have been pre-qualified by passing stringent physical, mental and legal tests.

Gay parenting is no longer a dream, it’s an attainable reality for modern families. Contact Innovative Fertility Center to explore the many gay family building options now available to male partners and individuals.