A Division of Consultants in Women's Health

LGBT Parenthood

Welcome! Everyone deserves to have the family of their dreams and The Fertilitätszentrum Zürich (AFC) is a great place to start. Currently, an increasing number of LGBT couples are using assisted reproductive technology to become parents and we are here to give you the options that best fit your needs. AFC provides culturally sensitive reproduction assistance for the LGBT community through a variety of options:

For Lesbian Couples

Lesbian couples have many different options when it comes making the dream family a reality. Some options include Intra Uterine Insemination, reciprocal IVF, IVF using donor sperm, IVF using donor eggs, IVF using donor embryos and Gestational carriers (Surrogate Uterus).

After both of you have been evaluated and it’s determined that there are no fertility impairments on either part you have to think about a few important factors. Who will be the partner to carry the child, who will provide the eggs and if you will chose an anonymous sperm donor or someone you know.

Once you have come to a decision we have the following services for you:
IUI using Donor Sperm

Procedure performed in office to prepare sperm and place within a woman's uterus to help achieve pregnancy.

Reciprocal IVF

Couples who do not have infertility may choose to retrieve the eggs from one partner, inseminate the eggs with donor sperm and have the resultant embryo(s) transferred into the other partner who then becomes pregnant. This enables both partners in the relationship to be physically involved in the conception of their child and is a very appealing concept to many lesbian couples.

IVF using Donor Sperm or Known Donor

Depending on the fertility issue, the eggs and sperm used in IVF may be the couple’s own or may come from donors.

If there is some sort of fertility impairment on either one of the partners or you would like other options, the following services are also available:
IVF using Donor Egg

Depending on the fertility issue, the eggs and sperm used in IVF may be the couple’s own or may come from donors.

IVF using Donor Embryo

Depending on the fertility issue, the eggs and sperm used in IVF may be the couple’s own or may come from donors.

Gestational Carrier (Surrogate Uterus)

What is a gestational carrier?

A gestational carrier (GC) is a woman who volunteers to carry a pregnancy for someone who cannot otherwise carry a pregnancy for herself (someone who has had her uterus removed due to health problems, or someone who has a nonfunctional uterus).

A gestational carrier (GC) is not a traditional “surrogate”, as a surrogate is someone who donates her egg and then subsequently carries the child. In the case of a gestational carrier, the woman carrying the pregnancy is in no way biologically or genetically related to the child she is carrying- she is merely providing a nurturing environment in the form of a uterus for the child to grow for the gestational period of 40 weeks. The eggs and sperm are derived from the “intended parents” (or egg donor, or sperm donor), through the process of In Vitro Fertilization, fertilized in the lab, and then the embryo (or embryos) are placed into the uterus of the gestational carrier.

Is gestational carrier the right option right for me?

A gestational carrier is required for any couple in which the female partner cannot carry the pregnancy herself. This may result from conditions in which the female partner has had her uterus surgically removed such as in the case of cervical or uterine cancer, fibroids, severe endometriosis, or any other conditions requiring a hysterectomy. In other cases, the woman may have her uterus intact, however, the uterus may be nonfunctional. This may be the result of scarring from prior surgeries or infections, to name a few possible conditions. As long as the ovaries are intact and functional, there is a good possibility that eggs may be harvested, fertilized in the lab with the male partner’s sperm to create embryos, and the embryos may then be placed into the uterus of the gestational carrier.

For Gay Couples

Our mission is to help create healthy families by providing the most current assisted reproductive technologies in addition to superior patient care. Fertilitätszentrum Zürich we are here to help you through every step of the way.

Gay men who want to have a family have the option of donor egg and gestational carriers.