LGBTQ+ Fertility Care

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Love Makes a Family

At AFCC, we are committed to providing inclusive, personalized care to all individuals and couples. Using the most advanced treatments, we have helped thousands of people create the families they desire.

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LGBTQ+ Fertility Options in Chicago

We are proud to serve members of the LGBTQ+ community in their family-building journeys. Learn more about the services we offer in support of your goals.

  • LGBTQ+ individuals and couples have the option to use fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI) to grow their families. With IUI, one of our fertility specialists will place sperm into the uterus during ovulation, hopefully resulting in a successful pregnancy. IVF is a more complex procedure that involves ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, embryo creation, and embryo transfer.

  • A gestational carrier (surrogate) is someone who chooses to carry and deliver a child for the intended parents. The embryo may be created using the eggs from a separate donor and the sperm from one of the intended parents. The gestational carrier will not be biologically related to the child. IVF is used to transfer the embryo to the uterus of the surrogate.

  • LGBTQ+ couples and individuals may need donor eggs to successfully conceive. Intended parents can choose a donor through AFCC’s egg bank or MyEggBank® for IVF and gestational surrogacy.

  • LGBTQ+ couples and individuals may need donor sperm to successfully conceive. Intended parents can choose a donor through an approved sperm bank or MySpermBank for IUI or IVF.

  • In shared maternity or reciprocal IVF, one partner provides the egg, which is then fertilized with donor sperm. The other partner receives the embryo, carries the pregnancy, and gives birth to the baby. This approach allows both partners in a lesbian, transmasculine, non-binary, or other queer partnership to be involved in the fertility treatment process.

  • Individuals planning to transition can preserve their fertility by freezing eggs or sperm for future conception due to the impact of hormonal treatments.

  • "My wife and I did reciprocal IVF and had the privilege of working with Dr. Reshef. His bedside manner was exceptional. He shows compassion, he listens to your concerns, and he gives you thorough answers."

    - AFCC Patient

The LGBTQ+ Fertility Journey at AFCC

  1. Set Up a Consultation

    During your initial consultation, our fertility specialists will discuss your past medical history and family-building goals. You'll then undergo various diagnostic tests to assess you and your partner’s (if applicable) fertility. These tests may include ultrasounds, blood tests, uterine analysis, ovarian evaluation, or semen analysis, depending on your individual needs.
  2. Work With Your Care Team

    LGBTQ+ family building typically requires third-party reproduction techniques such as donor eggs, donor sperm, or gestational surrogacy. From the matching process to financing to legal agreements, third-party reproduction consists of many moving parts. While this can seem overwhelming, you can rest assured knowing that your dedicated team at AFCC will be there to guide you throughout every step of the process. In addition to your fertility specialist, your care team will consist of a genetic counselor, nurses, a psychologist, donor tissue specialists, coordinators, as well as medical and administrative assistants. Although each member of the team has a different job, they each have only one goal in mind – to help you become a parent.
  3. Create Your Unique Family

    When it comes to LGBTQ+ family building with the help of third-party reproduction, there are a multitude of options to consider, such as whose egg or sperm you are going to use. If a gestational surrogate is needed, that adds another layer of details for you to think about. All of these options will be discussed with your fertility specialist, who will help guide you towards the best plan for your unique path.

We’re proud to offer donor sperm through MySpermBank

MySpermBank offers a diverse database of exceptional sperm donors to help aspiring parents around the world build their families. Each donor candidate undergoes rigorous medical, genetic, and psychological screening, along with background checks, to meet MySpermBank's comprehensive donor qualification standards.

Aspiring parents can find the perfect match by browsing through MySpermBank’s extensive donor database. Full profiles, including additional childhood and adult photos, essays, and other advanced features, are available by registering for a free account. The searchable database makes it easy to narrow your options using filters for physical characteristics, education, personal interests, and other preferences.

Once you've selected a donor, you can choose from vial options designed for different fertility treatments, including IUI, ICI, IVF, and ICSI. If you have questions along the way, the MySpermBank team is available to provide educational resources and personalized support throughout your family-building journey.

Whether you're just beginning your search or ready to move forward with treatment, MySpermBank is here to support you every step of the way.

Find Your Sperm Donor

Interested in becoming a sperm donor with MySpermBank?

Help others build their families while receiving generous compensation for your time and commitment, along with a comprehensive health screening. Learn more about MySpermBank's sperm donor program.

Become a Sperm Donor

LGBTQ+ Family Building FAQs

  • Fertility treatment costs depend on multiple factors, including the type of treatment and how many cycles it takes to successfully conceive. At AFCC, we offer various options to help you navigate the financial aspects associated with using donor eggs, sperm, and a gestational carrier.

  • AFCC is happy to help you find your ideal egg donor. We currently have Chicago area egg donors interested in donating eggs as well as a frozen donor egg bank with eggs ready to be used immediately. All egg donors we work with have undergone rigorous screening and evaluation.

  • AFCC only recommends top-rated, high-quality sperm banks. We’ll give you the information you need to begin your search and find your ideal donor.

  • First, you'll choose a surrogacy agency that will help you find a gestational carrier to go on this journey with. At AFCC, we'll support you through every step of the process. Our team will closely work with your surrogacy agency and reproductive law experts to ensure that you obtain the necessary legal documentation to start treatment at our clinic. Once all legal requirements are met, we'll begin the IVF process.

  • The biggest difference between using fresh or frozen donor eggs involves the timing of the egg fertilization process. Fresh eggs get fertilized within hours of being retrieved from the donor. Then, they're cultured in the IVF lab until they reach the blastocyst embryo state and are frozen until the intended parents and surrogate are ready for embryo transfer.

    Frozen eggs are cryopreserved (frozen) within hours of retrieval from the donor. When the intended parents and surrogate are ready for transfer, six or more eggs are thawed, fertilized, and cultured for immediate embryo transfer.

    Both fresh and frozen eggs are highly effective. At AFCC, we'll walk you through each option and help you make the best decision for your unique needs and family-building goals.

Choose AFCC for LGBTQ+ Fertility in Chicago

Ready to take the next step toward your path to parenthood? AFCC is proud to offer an inclusive and compassionate approach to LGBTQ+ fertility and family-building. Book an appointment about LGBTQ+ fertility or to schedule a consultation at one of our fertility clinics in Chicago, Downers Grove, Arlington Heights or Gurnee, IL.

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