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Love is love and family is family

Kentucky Fertility Institute (KFI) proudly provides inclusive, gender-affirming fertility care to all individuals and couples. No matter your identity, background, or family structure, our goal is for you to feel welcomed within our practice. We have partnered with accredited sperm banks, egg banks, and surrogacy agencies around the country to ensure you have everything you need to grow your family with confidence. Below is an overview of some of the common family-building options we provide for our local LGBTQ+ community:

Reciprocal In Vitro Fertilization (RIVF)

Reciprocal IVF enables both partners to have a biological contribution to pregnancy when a woman is in a lesbian relationship or has a trans male partner. One partner provides their eggs, which are retrieved and fertilized through IVF using donor sperm. At KFI, we offer known or anonymous sperm donation. Known sperm donation is when couples select a family member or close contact to be their sperm donor. Anonymous sperm donation is when the donor is unknown to the aspiring parents and recruited through a commercial sperm bank. After fertilization, a resulting embryo is transferred into the other partner’s uterus, who carries and delivers the baby.

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) with Donor Sperm

Women in lesbian relationships or having trans male partners can pursue IUI using donor sperm. At KFI, we offer known or anonymous sperm donation. Known sperm donation is when couples select a family member or close contact to be their sperm donor. Anonymous sperm donation is when the donor is unknown to the aspiring parents and recruited through a commercial sperm bank. For IUI, the sperm is separated from the seminal fluid to enhance its concentration and motility. At the time of ovulation, it is gently inserted into the uterus of the partner who wishes to carry the pregnancy using a soft catheter.

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) with Donor Sperm

This process is similar to reciprocal IVF, but only one partner is biologically involved with the fertility care. At the time of egg retrieval, donor sperm is used to fertilize the eggs. At KFI, we offer known or anonymous sperm donation. Known sperm donation is when couples select a family member or close contact to be their sperm donor. Anonymous sperm donation is when the donor is unknown to the aspiring parents and recruited through a commercial sperm bank. After fertilization, a resulting embryo is transferred back into the woman’s uterus when she is ready for pregnancy.

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) with Donor Eggs

Gay male couples have the option to use donor eggs to grow their families. Similar to sperm donation, egg donation can be done either anonymously or with a known donor. The donor eggs can be fertilized with sperm from one partner, and a resulting embryo can then be implanted into a gestational carrier. In Kentucky, the same individual is not able to serve as both an egg donor and gestational carrier.

Gestational Surrogacy

A gestational carrier (surrogate) is someone who agrees to carry a pregnancy for another individual or couple. At KFI, we collaborate with a number of reputable surrogacy agencies to help our patients find their ideal surrogates if they do not already have one in mind. Once a surrogate is selected, she will undergo thorough medical and psychological screening. A legal contract is also needed to protect the interests of all parties involved. Clinically, the gestational carrier will undergo an embryo transfer procedure, during which an embryo (that is not biologically related to her) is gently placed into the uterus using a soft catheter.

Transgender Fertility Options

In addition to fertility treatment options, we offer fertility preservation for transgender patients. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and other gender-affirming treatments can negatively affect fertility, sometimes permanently. Therefore, transgender patients who wish to have children in the future should consider freezing their eggs, sperm, or embryos prior to starting their transition. For individuals with eggs, we can retrieve them as we do with IVF. Special protocols can be used to limit adverse effects of high estrogen levels. Eggs can either be frozen or fertilized with sperm from a partner or donor and frozen as embryos. Individuals who make sperm will provide a sample in a sterile cup via masturbation, and this sample can be processed, frozen, and safely stored for future use.