There are many forms of fertility treatment and Shared Motherhood, or reciprocal IVF is commonly used by same-sex female couples and other LGBTQ+ people. Eggs from one partner are fertilised and then transferred to the other partner’s uterus. How long the Shared Motherhood treatment process takes depends on two factors: i) how long it takes to find a suitable sperm donor; ii) genetic screening for the partner providing the eggs.
Shared Motherhood IVF Process
Like standard IVF, there are many steps you’ll have to go through on your journey to parenthood. Here’s a general overview of what you can expect:
This is where you’ll learn more about Shared Motherhood IVF process and requirements. You’ll discuss your health, medical history, what tests you may need, and more.
Before starting treatment, you’ll likely have to go through a few fertility tests and check-ups to build a picture of your overall reproductive health. Usually this includes AMH blood tests, pelvic ultrasound scans, blood pressure and height and weight checks for both partners.
After your test results, you’ll have a consultation with your fertility specialist, where you’ll go through your results and treatment plan. Here you’ll have the chance to ask any questions before starting treatment.
You’ll administer a ‘trigger’ injection to help with the final maturation of eggs and loosening of the eggs from the follicle walls ready for collection.
Around a day after the ‘trigger’ injection, you’ll go through egg collection at the fertility clinic.
This procedure only takes about 30 minutes. It uses ultrasound guidance, to insert a needle through the vaginal wall to reach the ovaries and collect eggs from the follicles.
After your eggs have been collected, it’s normal to experience some cramping or spotting for a few days after.
In the lab, the sperm sample from your chosen sperm donor is either added to the eggs or a single healthy sperm injected into the egg around four hours after egg collection.
Your eggs are then place in an incubator for the next several days and monitored for signs of embryo development.
When the embryos are ready, the partner receiving the embryos will go to the clinic come for transfer, which takes around 15 minutes.
During the procedure the cervix is gently opened and a fine catheter used to transfer the embryo into the uterus.
After embryo transfer, you can go about your life as normal but avoiding strenuous exercise or heavy lifting. Take care of yourself and follow any advice from your fertility specialist.
Shared motherhood is a beautiful way to embark on your parenting journey together, allowing both partners to play a unique and connected role in creating your family.
Choosing a sperm donor
Usually, you’ll be able to get sperm from your clinics’ sperm bank or an external sperm bank the fertility clinic has a working agreement with. You’ll have the opportunity to go through wait times and the matching process with your fertility specialist.
Choosing a donor can feel like one of the most overwhelming parts of your journey, as you’ll be presented with profiles that will give you a comprehensive overview of the donor, and why they donated. Some of the factors that may inform why you choose your donor are physical appearance, health history, and personality traits. Take all the time you need to make a choice and discuss your options with your partner.
Of course, you may already have a sperm donor in mind, and if so, you can use them. They’ll still have to be assessed and meet the same requirements as an altruistic donor but there can be a bit more flexibility. Costs around using a sperm donor that’s known to you are often different, as the price of the assessment and screening would usually need to be covered by you.
Shared Motherhood IVF FAQs
There’s no straightforward answer,as to whether or not you’ll be able to have Shared Motherhood IVF on the NHS. NHS funded IVF is decided locally, so, unfortunately it depends where you live.
Private treatment costs vary from clinic-to-clinic. However, if you’re looking to begin treatment with one of our partner clinics, you can choose to spread the cost of all or part of your programme with our finance options.
In-line with UK law, the partner giving birth will always be recognised as the legal parent, and if you are married or in a civil partnership, the partner providing the eggs will automatically be the second legal parent. If you’re not married, then legal parent consent forms will be issued to both partners by your fertility clinic.