Family Building Options for Gays and Lesbians

Increasingly, gay and lesbian individuals and couples are using egg donation, sperm donation and surrogacy to help them have a biological family.

For gay men with no fertility issues, the road to biological parenthood will lead them to a surrogate: A surrogate is a woman, sometimes called a carrier, who carries and gives birth to a baby for another individual or couple. In traditional surrogacy the carrier’s eggs are used; in gestational surrogacy donor eggs are used. Most surrogacy arrangements today are gestational surrogacy.

For lesbians with no infertility issues, biological parenthood is achieved with donor insemination. Donor sperm can be obtained from a sperm bank or from a “known donor” such as a friend. There are a few different insemination options: vaginal insemination, which can be done at home, or intracervical or intrauterine insemination (IUI), which are typically done in a doctor’s office.

Not all physicians, fertility clinics, attorneys or agencies work with same-sex couples or singles. It’s important to find professionals who are knowledgeable and sensitive to your specific situation or needs.