Fertility treatments are a wonderful way for individuals and couples to grow a family, and our team at Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility is dedicated to helping gay, lesbian, and transgender people and couples realize their dream of becoming parents. We are honored to guide you through the fertility process, and want you to feel comfortable and confident every step of the way.
There are a number of fertility treatment options available for LGBTQ+ couples and individuals, including:
- Surrogacy
- Use of donor eggs
- Use of donor sperm
- Artificial insemination
- In vitro fertilization (IVF), including reciprocal IVF
According to the 2019 Family Equality LGBTQ Family Building Survey, 48 percent of LGBTQ+ people ages 18-35 are actively planning on expanding their families, either becoming parents for the first time, or by having more children. If you’re of that group looking to pursue treatments, here are a few resources to help you plug in to communities, learn more about your treatments and financial options, and, ultimately, navigate your journey to parenthood.
Facebook (Support) Groups
- Daddy Squared: Gay Dads and Prospective Dads Virtual Meetup is a Facebook group for fathers and fathers-to-be; Monday through Friday they share personal development inspiration, and music and toy recommendations.
- LGBTQ+ Parents and Families is Family Equality’s private Facebook group that offers peer support for anyone looking to grow their family. The group shares advice, tips, tricks, and insight from other parents, and provides a safe and encouraging space to share the joys and frustrations of the LGBTQ+ parenting journey.
- LGBTQ+ 🏳️🌈 Pregnancy to Parenting is open to anyone in the LGBTQ+ community, including moms-to-be, dads-to-be, and surrogates who have questions or are looking for support.
Reading
- The New Essential Guide to Lesbian Conception, Pregnancy and Birth by Stephanie Brill
- Journey to Same-Sex Parenthood: Firsthand Advice, Tips and Stories from Lesbian and Gay Couples by Eric Rosswood
- The Ultimate Guide for Gay Dads: Everything You Need to Know About LGBTQ Parenting But Are (Mostly) Afraid to Ask by Eric Rosswood
- Confessions of the Other Mother: Non-Biological Lesbian Moms Tell All edited by Harlyn Aizley
- The Kid by Dan Savage
- And Baby Makes More edited by Susan Goldberg and Chloë Brushwood Rose
- The Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy for Lesbians: How to Stay Sane and Care for Yourself from Pre-conception through Birth by Rachel Pepper
- Raised by Unicorns: Stories from People with LGBTQ+ Parents edited by Frank Lowe
Financial Support & Grants
At AZCREI we work with every patient to help them achieve their dream of parenthood without experiencing financial strain. Aside from insurance (which may cover some of the procedures for some patients), there are several grants and scholarships available to help mitigate the costs for LGBTQ+ parents-to-be using assisted reproductive technology or adoption.
- Baby Quest Foundation
- The Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA)
- Journey to Parenthood
Other Resources
Stories from past patients:
- A Patient’s Side of Things: What Infertility Treatments Were Really Like
- A Patient’s Side of Things: How AZCREI Walked with Us Through Our Infertility Journey
More articles from AZCREI:
- Sharing in the Parenting: How Male Partners Can Utilize IVF to Become Fathers
- How Does In Vitro Work for Female Couples?
- 5 Ways AZCREI Helps Same-Sex Couples Become Parents
- The Best Pregnancy Options for Same-Sex Couples
- 5 Biggest Questions LGBTQ+ Couples Have About Getting Pregnant
At AZCREI, we gladly offer fertility options to people of every type of lifestyle and partnership. It’s the ultimate gift for us to be able to help LGBTQ+ couples expand their family and have a healthy, happy baby. To schedule an appointment with our team to discuss your options and the best steps forward, visit us online or call us at 520-326-0001.