We understand that women in the LGBTQ community may be transgender, cisgender, bisexual, lesbian, queer… or several of these identities (or none of them!). Given the diversity under the umbrella of “women,” we are happy to offer many support structures and processes to help you achieve your family-building goals. Main Line Fertility has doctors who have personal experience navigating fertility as members of the LGBTQ community, and our entire care team are trained in the principles of LGBTQ-affirming care. None of our forms assume heterosexuality, so you won’t have to cross out terms or questions that don’t apply to you.
Here are some of the specific ways we can support your journey:
For Transgender Women
We offer fertility preservation, fertility restoration after HRT, IUI or IVF using cryopreserved sperm, and more!
For Cisgender Women with Cisgender Female Partners
If you’re just starting on your journey, we can help you by providing a fertility workup for whichever of you plans to carry the pregnancy, giving you a snapshot of your current fertility capabilities. If you aren’t sure who will be carrying the pregnancy, a fertility workup for each of you can help aid that decision-making process. Our providers can advise you on which partner may be most likely to conceive and carry a pregnancy to term based on the many factors that go into fertility capabilities.
If you already know which of you plans to carry the pregnancy, our experienced third party department can help you find a sperm donor that matches your shared vision as you build your family. If you’re using a known donor, we can analyze the sample to ensure it is viable before providing you with IUI or IVF services. If you would both like to contribute biologically to the pregnancy, we can facilitate a Reciprocal IVF or INVOCELL process.
If either of you is experiencing infertility, we can work with you to locate an egg or embryo donor, and/or a gestational surrogate.
For Intentional Solo Parents
We are excited to support women who embarking upon their family-building journey without a romantic co-parent. Head to our Intentional Solo Parents page to learn more about the specific ways in which we plan to stand with you every step along the way.
For Cisgender Women with Cisgender Male Partners
We understand that not every “opposite-sex” couple is heterosexual. While you may not need the same level of medical intervention that other LGBTQ couples need, there are still unique considerations when supporting LGBTQ people in partnerships that others may view as heterosexual. We commit to not assuming that all of our patients are heterosexual, and to using inclusive language whenever we can. We will ask what you call your partner (without defaulting to “husband” or “wife”) and will ask what you plan for your future children to call you (without defaulting to “mommy” and “daddy”). We are also committed to asking for and receiving feedback openly, so if there is ever an additional way we can support you– please let us know!
