When we talk about reciprocal IVF, also known as co-IVF or co-maternity, it refers the to process in which one woman of a same sex female couple receives the oocytes of her partner. At Ovoclinic, as a gay friendly assisted reproduction clinic, offer co-IVF as a treatment for lesbian couples so that both women can actively participate in the pregnancy. Reciprocal IVF is an in vitro fertilisation treatment (IVF) in which one of the women provides the egg cell and the other carries the developing baby. As with any other IVF process, it consists of the laboratory union of the egg cells with sperm, which in this case will be from an anonymous donor.
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR TWO WOMEN TO UNDERGO CO-IVF IN SPAIN?
The Spanish Assisted Reproduction Law 14/2006 states that female couples who opt for co-IVF be married, and as such, both will have the same obligations and legal rights of the future child. Recently, the current Spanish Government approved the project on LGBT equality Law, which will allow a same sex female couple to register their children in the civil register, without being married.
WHAT DOES THE PROCESS INVOLVE?
As with any of our other assisted reproduction treatments, the first visit – which is absolutely free – consists of taking a medical history of the couple and collecting all the necessary information to be able to start with the first tests and analyses. The minimum requisites that must be confirmed for this treatment to go ahead, is that neither of the women present a genetically transmittable disease that could affect the future child, or a very severe fertility problem.
The Medical Direction team at Ovoclinic always analyse the medical histories of each patient, so that they can advise the couple who should carry the pregnancy in order to give the maximum chances of success. However, it is a personal decision and should be made by the couple themselves.
As we have mentioned previously in this article, reciprocal IVF is an in vitro fertilisation treatment. The fertilisation of the egg with the donor sperm is performed by a conventional IVF or by ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection). The method chosen for fertilisation depends on the characteristics of each patient, age, egg quality and so on.
In an assisted reproduction treatment, the last, and most important phase, is to select the best quality embryo and transfer it to the uterus. This is a painless process that does not require sedation.
WHO WILL THE BABY LOOK LIKE?
At Ovoclinic we always strive that the sperm donor shares the physical characteristics of the gestational mother, as well as being immunologically compatible. To achieve this we have a specialist team in donor selection. During this thorough process we perform complete analyses, psychological tests and genetic studies to guarantee the general good health of the sperm donor and rule out the possibility of recessive genetic diseases. It is very important to bear in mind that in co-IVF the remaining embryos can be frozen. These embryos belong to the couple and can be later transferred to either of the women, providing there are no medical reasons to the contrary, to produce a pregnancy. If you have any questions about this treatment, don’t forget we are at your side in person and online.
We are at your side both in person and online – you can book your consultation by phone or by WhatsApp. Our specialists will be delighted to attend to you and resolve all your queries!
Together from the first steps! 🥰
