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LGBTQ+ Family Building

There are many options for building your family your way.

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The LGBTQ+ family building process

You deserve a medical team that understands your unique fertility needs. We tailor each treatment plan to the specific needs of the patient, whether we’re working with a same-sex couple or transgender patient.

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How LGBTQ+ family building works

Family building is a deeply personal process from every couple and individual who walks through our doors. Our doctors have extensive experience working with same-sex couples, transgender patients, and LGBTQ+ singles who dream of parenthood. Your treatment plan will begin with a consultation where you can discuss your unique needs and goals with your doctor and collaboratively create a path forward.

Although many lesbian couples have no proven history of infertility, we recommend diagnostic evaluations as the first step to achieve success quickly and make the process more cost-efficient. These tests include bloodwork to determine egg quantity and quality, a genetic carrier screening, a hysterosalpingogram to evaluate the uterus and fallopian tubes, and ultrasounds to follow the timing of natural ovulation. After testing is complete, your physician will recommend a path to pregnancy that’s right for you. These can include intrauterine insemination (IUI) in a natural cycle (without hormones), Intrauterine insemination with hormones, and IVF. These procedures can be tailored to your unique needs. Donor sperm can be used from a known source, such as a friend or family member, or an anonymous source from one of SDFC’s trusted sperm banks. Your team will be there every step of the way to support you in making the best decision for your family.

For gay male couples family building involves a donor egg and gestational carrier commonly referred to as a surrogate. The first step will be a diagnostic evaluation including semen analysis, genetic carrier screening and infectious disease testing. Once you’re ready to select an egg donor and surrogate, we will assign you a nurse that will help guide you through this process. It can feel overwhelming and we will be with you every step of the way. The donor egg will be combined with your sperm in our lab to create an embryo which will be placed in the surrogate’s uterus via IVF.

San Diego Fertility Center has worked with many transgender patients to achieve their dreams of parenthood through egg, sperm, and embryo freezing. We recommend scheduling a consultation with us before pursuing gender-affirming care if possible, but regardless of where you are in your journey, we would love to meet with you to discuss your fertility options and create a plan that works for you. You have many options, from using your own stored eggs or sperm to exploring donors and surrogacy.

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LBGTQ+ Family Building Success with San Diego Fertility Center

We've built more LGBTQ+ families around the world than any other fertility network.

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Paying for your fertility treatment

Though coverage for fertility care varies widely by insurance plan, the good news is that more and more companies are including fertility treatment in employee benefits.


You should never feel in the dark about cost. Our financing team is committed to guiding you through your insurance benefits, out-of-pocket expenses, and other financing options every step of the way.

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You’re ready for your next chapter. We’re here to help you turn the page.

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You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.

Deciding between IVF and IUI will depend on the results of your fertility testing and the decisions that you make with your care team. We suggest booking a consultation to begin testing and the process of determining which treatment is right for you.

Finding a gestational carrier is a deeply personal process and we will be with you every step of the way. We partner with trusted surrogacy agencies and are also able to work with your known surrogate (sometimes called a compassionate carrier) should you choose to go that route.

Couples and individuals seeking a sperm donor all have very different criteria, from health, to physical appearance and personality. San Diego Fertility Center has partnered with trusted sperm banks so that we can support your process every step of the way. Some patients also work with known donors, such as family and friends, which we equally welcome as part of your fertility treatment plan.

San Diego Fertility Center has had our own in-house egg donor program for over 20 years. In order to provide intended parents with the highest chance of success using an egg donor, the application process is extensive, and our egg donors must meet numerous requirements before acceptance into the program. If you are unable to find a donor from our in-house program, we partner with a number of trusted egg donor agencies and egg banks. The selection process for an egg donor is very similar to sperm donor selection. You are able to select an egg donor or banked donor eggs based on a number of personal criteria. You also have the option of working with a known egg donor.