IVF for lesbian couples

The first stage is to come into the clinic for an Initial Consultation. This will include an internal scan for the female undergoing the treatment and a consultation with the doctor for her (and her partner if applicable). This appointment allows the doctor to assess the ovaries and womb and determine the best course of treatment. The next stage will be to meet with a nurse at the nurse’s consultation. At this point the patient(s) can discuss which donor sperm is to be used and the nurse can go through our list of sperm donors with you. If you decide to purchase sperm from an external sperm bank this is perfectly fine; however you will have to arrange for the sperm to be couriered to the clinic. The treatment itself is exactly like our other types of IVF: the female patient will take a suitable combination of drugs for several days before having her eggs collected under sedation. These will then be fertilised with the donor sperm in the lab before being transferred to the woman’s womb a few days later.

If you plan to use a known donor, he will need to go through a series of stages to assess his suitability. It is best to contact us for more details on using a known donor.

IVF treatment with donor sperm is most suitable for couples with a male infertility factor, female same-sex couples and single women.

Mild IVF focusses on quality rather than quantity of eggs, is conducted within a woman’s natural cycle and uses lower doses of stimulating drugs. Mild IVF uses a short 7-10 day course of stimulating drugs to achieve a mild response.

Mild IVF is designed to be gentler on the body with fewer side effects. The short protocols with lower doses of drugs mean that the stress and duration of treatment and potential side effects are reduced.

The first step in IUI treatment is to come into the clinic for an Initial Consultation and Scan. At this point the doctor will perform an internal scan. You (and your partner if applicable) will then have a 30 minute consultation where the doctor will go through your medical history and devise a personalised treatment plan. It is recommended that you undergo a tubal patency test in order to ensure that your fallopian tubes are clear and the sperm is able to reach the egg. You will then come in for a number of scans following the start of your period. These will be used to monitor the growth of the follicles and track ovulation. Once the time is right to perform the IUI, the sperm sample will be washed and prepared before the procedure. The IUI procedure involves introducing the sperm to the uterus through a thin catheter at the correct time of the cycle when the egg is being released.