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No matter your sexuality, IVF has opened up the door to allow straight, gay, and lesbian couples the chance to experience the joy of parenthood. When it comes to lesbian and trans couples, one of the popular opportunities is reciprocal IVF, which allows both parents to be heavily involved in the process of creating a child. But what is reciprocal IVF, and how does it differ from regular IVF?
Reciprocal IVF is a form of IVF that allows lesbian couples or trans partners a chance to participate in the process of reproduction. With reciprocal IVF, one partner will provide an egg, which will be fertilized by a sperm donor, and the embryo is then transferred to the womb of the other parent/partner. This allows for both partners’ bodies to be involved in the conception and pregnancy, and share in both the biological and gestational aspects of parenthood that many same-sex couples are unable to experience.
Regular IVF often occurs between a man and a woman, where one provides the egg and the other sperm in order to fertilize the egg that is retrieved and then returned to the womb. Regular IVF can also be chosen by same-sex couples with one parent both providing the egg to be fertilized and carrying the embryo in their own womb. However, in reciprocal IVF, both partners will share in the IVF process per cycle, with one partner providing the egg and the other carrying the baby to term in their uterus. This allows one partner to be genetically related to their child by providing the egg and the other partner to be bonded with the child via pregnancy.
Choosing which partner will provide the egg and which will be the carrier is up to the couple themselves. If neither is found to have fertility issues, then either can be chosen. In some cases, the couple may opt for one role originally and then reverse it to have a second child down the line to make sure each partner has a biological and generic connection to their children as well as the experience of pregnancy and childbirth.
However, like with regular IVF, age is still an essential factor when choosing, with women under the age of 35 tending to have healthier eggs, an easier pregnancy, and a better IVF success rate.
The process of reciprocal IVF is typically straightforward once the couples involved have decided who will give their eggs and who will carry the child. This is usually decided after a fertility and blood test on both parents to gain a clear picture of their fertility, medical history, and any potential medical conditions they may have that could impact egg retrieval or the pregnancy itself. Once the choice has been made, the process is as follows:
The parent providing the eggs will undergo an ultrasound to check their follicle level and ovaries and undergo extensive blood testing. Afterward, they will usually be put on fertility medication to help stimulate the ovaries and produce multiple eggs that can then be retrieved. Once the retrieval has happened, the parent carrying the fetus will also undergo an ultrasound and blood test before being put on hormone treatments to get the uterus ready to carry the child to term.
Before the egg is implanted into the carrying parent’s uterus, an embryologist fertilizes it in a lab with a sperm donor. Once the eggs have been fertilized, they are usually frozen and later, one, or sometimes two, is chosen to be transferred.
Before the embryo is transferred to the uterus, parents may wish to undergo pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT) to test for any abnormalities. Once this has been done, the chosen embryo will be transferred to the carrying parent’s uterus, where they will hopefully carry it to term.
As mentioned above, the benefits of this process are that it allows both parents to be involved in creating their child, with one parent being genetically related to the child via their eggs and the other being able to develop a maternal bond with the child by carrying it in their uterus.
It is essential to understand that reciprocal IVF can be costly depending on where you live, how many cycles you must go through, and the process.
Currently, in the UK, most IVF clinics offer reciprocal packages priced between £3,000 and £10,000. Meanwhile, in the US, the typical cost of reciprocal IVF is $20,000. Packages usually include fertility testing for both partners, blood tests, and the removal and implementation of the eggs and sperm from one partner to the other.
If you live in the US, depending on your state and your medical insurance provider, you can get a percentage of the costs covered. However, not many medical insurers have added reciprocal IVF to their list of approved medical actions that are covered.
In the UK, although in some locations the first three rounds of regular IVF are provided for on the NHS, many find that reciprocal IVF isn’t, and they need to look at going private.
As reciprocal IVF is still a relatively new option, one concern many parents worry about is the overall success rate of the process. However, success rates can vary from person to person depending on things like weight, age, and medical history etc. The American Pregnancy Association found women under the age of 35 have a better chance of a successful procedure at 41-43%, with women aged 35-37 having a success rate of 33-36% overall. However, in 2022, CRGH, a reciprocal IVF clinic in the UK, reported an average live birth rate per embryo transfer of 69.6% for all ages.
Overall, depending on your age, the clinic you choose, and your partner’s fertility, reciprocal IVF has a potentially high success rate, allowing you to enter into the world of parenthood.
To wrap up, as you start the process of reciprocal IVF, it is crucial to choose an IVF and fertility clinic that suits your needs. Remember to talk to your doctor, read reviews, and look for clinics specializing in LGBTQ+ IVF. This allows you to get the most out of the process and be offered the emotional and mental support you desire.
Overall, reciprocal IVF has opened the doors for lesbian and trans couples to experience parenthood in a way that allows both parents’ bodies to be heavily involved throughout the process.
Brandão, P., Ceschin, N., Cruz, F., Sousa-Santos, R., Reis-Soares, S., & Bellver, J. (2022). Similar reproductive outcomes between lesbian-shared IVF (ROPA) and IVF with autologous oocytes. Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics, 39(9), 2061–2067. doi.org/10.1007/s10815-022-02560-7
Brandão P. Monseur B., Melo P., Gonçalves-Henriques M, Ceschin N., Reis-Soares S., Sousa-Santos R., Bellver J. (2023). Shared IVF among female couples: clinical outcomes of the Reception of Oocytes from the Partner (ROPA) method. Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 47(4),103284. doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2023.103284
Extended Fertility. (2019). What is reciprocal IVF for LGBTQ couples?. Extended Fertility. extendfertility.com/reciprocal-ivf-lgbtq-couples/
Manchester Fertility Clinic. What is reciprocal IVF?. Manchester Fertility. manchesterfertility.com/blog/what-reciprocal-ivf/
Núñez, A., García, D., Giménez-Bonafé, P., Vassena, R., & Rodríguez, A. (2021). Reproductive Outcomes in Lesbian Couples Undergoing Reception of Oocytes from Partner Versus Autologous In Vitro Fertilization/Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection. LGBT health, 8(5), 367–371. doi.org/10.1089/lgbt.2020.0282
Ovo Clinic. Reciprocal IVF – what is the pregnancy success rate?. Ovo Clinic. ovoclinic.net/reciprocal-ivf-what-is-the-pregnancy-success-rate/?lang=en
Pacific Fertility Center. (2023). Reciprocal IVF Guide. PFCLA. pfcla.com/blog/reciprocal-ivf-guide
Shaw, K., Bower-Brown, S., McConnachie, A., Jadva, V., Ahuja, K., Macklon, N., & Golombok, S. (2023). “ Her bun in my oven”: Motivations and experiences of two-mother families who have used reciprocal IVF. Family Relations, 72(1), 195–214. doi.org/10.1111/fare.12805
TFP Fertility. Reciprocal IVF. TFP Fertility. tfp-fertility.com/en-gb/fertility-treatment/reciprocal-ivf
UCSF Center For Reproductive Health. Reciprocal IVF. UCSF. crh.ucsf.edu/fertility-treatment/reciprocal-ivf/
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