Family Building for Lesbians

INSEMINATION, SPERM DONATION AND RECIPROCAL IVF

When a lesbian couple wants to create a family with a biological connection, there are many options available to them using different types of sperm donation. These options include:

• Artificial insemination with a known donor
• Artificial insemination with an anonymous donor
• In vitro fertilization with a sperm donor
• Reciprocal in vitro fertilization (IVF) in which one woman’s eggs are used, and the other woman becomes pregnant and carries the child

There are several different types of artificial insemination:

• Intravaginal insemination with unwashed sperm, which can be performed in a physician’s office or at home
• Intracervical insemination, which can be performed with washed or unwashed sperm in a physician’s office
• Intrauterine insemination (IUI), which is performed with washed sperm in a physician’s office

Laurence A. Jacobs, M.D., performs IUIs seven days a week. If there are no fertility problems, artificial insemination with anonymous donor sperm purchased through a sperm bank is typically one of the safest routes for a lesbian couple. Sperm purchased through a sperm bank has been cryopreserved (frozen) and quarantined for six months, while the donor has been tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). In addition, current laws do not allow anonymous donors to claim any legal rights to the children born through their donation.