Hey friend! Is this you?
You or your partner are wanting to plan or are ready to try to conceive (TTC) a baby!
Needless to say, your partner relationship doesn’t lend itself to biological conception with both egg, uterus, and sperm! That’s okay. You’re welcome here.
You are overwhelmed and unsure where to even begin.
Maybe you’ve heard of IVF, or IUI, or maybe ICI, but you don’t know what the difference is–let alone which one would be best for your family!
Friend.
Take a deep breath with me. In, Out.
Unclench your jaw.
This is hard.
It is unfair that you have put in wayyyy more effort than heterosexual couples.
But I’m here to help.
We are going to talk about some great and most common fertility options for Queer+/Trans/GNC folks, and give you a brief rundown of the pros and cons. So let’s get started!
Trying To Conceive (TTC): Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
This is the most popular form of artificial insemination. Your doctor (or licensed health care provider) will insert thawed sperm directly into your uterus. Inseminations may be timed based on your natural cycle, or in time with fertility drugs.
Pros of Trying to Conceive via Intrauterine Insemination (IUI):
The simple procedure can be performed in a doctor’s office or fertility clinic. It’s less expensive than IVF and is often covered by provincial health programs (ask your local public health unit!)
Cons of Trying to Conceive via Intrauterine Insemination (IUI):
IUI can result in multiple births (twins, triplets, etc.). IUI is usually done with fertility drugs to increase the chances of fertilization, so you may also experience drug related side effects.
Trying To Conceive (TTC): Intracervical Insemination (ICI) (Also known as At-Home Insemination or IVI)
This TTC method is also very popular! This technique comes with a DIY option, but also can be done by a healthcare provider. Around ovulation time (yes, it’s good to track your cycle!) sperm can be inserted into the vagina using a small, needleless syringe or a cervical cap/soft disk. Yup, you can do that yourself in the comfort of your own home. After that, you should lie down for 15-30 minutes after the insemination to encourage the sperm to “swim” up into to uterus. Orgasms help too 😉
Pros of Trying to Conceive via Intracervical Insemination (ICI):
It’s less invasive, it can be performed from the comfort of your own home and is also less expensive than IVF. Coverage may vary. You can use a known donor’s fresh, not frozen, semen.
Cons of Trying to Conceive via Intracervical Insemination (ICI):
Same as IUI, ICI can result in multiple births (twins, triplets, etc.), and you may also experience side effects from fertility drugs.
Trying To Conceive (TTC): In-vitro Fertilization (IVF)
This is a process where fertilization occurs outside of the body, or in vitro. IVF may involve any combination of your own eggs and sperm, or donor eggs and sperm. After egg and sperm cells have been collected, they are combined in a lab, to allow the sperm to fertilize the eggs. About 2 to 5 days after fertilization, one or more of the fertilized eggs are inserted into the uterus using a catheter. The remaining fertilized eggs may be cryopreserved (frozen) for future use.
Pros of Trying to Conceive via In-vitro Fertilization (IVF):
IVF has the highest success rate of all fertility treatments and is sometimes covered by public health programs.
Cons of Trying to Conceive via In-vitro Fertilization (IVF):
If not covered, treatments are costly. They can also be physically demanding, and they require a rigorous regimen of fertility drugs before the start of each treatment cycle.
So now that you have all this info, how do you decide which treatment option is the best for your family?
I would love to help you! A great place to start is by joining the Queer Nest Club – you can talk to other Queer/GNC parents about their experience with fertility treatments.
OR
Go right ahead and book a 1-to-1 support call with me. I’m here for you and I would love to help you take the next step in your trying to conceive (TTC) journey.
Happy Queer Nesting!
