At Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions, we believe all intended parents deserve the chance to have the family of their dreams, and we are proud to have helped many same-sex couples create their happy families.
When choosing to grow their family, same sex intended parents (IPs) have several options to consider, such as private adoption or fostering to adopt. However, many couples turn to egg donation and surrogacy because it allows at least one of the parents to have a biological connection to their child while providing an opportunity for both parents to be involved in the pregnancy.
How the process works
For same-sex couples, the process begins with choosing an egg donor. The intended dads may look for a donor who shares similar physical features to one or both partners and/or other family members. They may also have certain criteria in mind regarding a donor’s aptitudes, interests, education, personality and family health history.
While choosing a donor is subjective for all IPs, most couples tell us they chose their donor because of a connection they felt to her. And oftentimes that connection comes through a donor’s responses to the profile questions, as two new dads recently shared with us.
Medical history was our number one priority, but it was also neat to see what the donor’s interests were as a child. And we really liked the way she answered the question [on her profile] about what she would want to tell the child in 18 years. Our donor is the complete package.
Once an egg donor match is secured and the donor has completed the required medical and psychological screenings, and the legal paperwork has been executed, she will begin medication to stimulate her ovaries in preparation for the egg retrieval. Once the egg retrieval is done, embryos will be created using sperm from one or both intended dads. The next step is matching with a gestational carrier who will carry the baby for the couple.
Choosing someone to carry their baby
Matching with a surrogate who will carry their baby is one of the most important steps in the process for same-sex couples. Most intended dads want to be as involved in the pregnancy as possible by attending medical appointments and receiving regular updates from their surrogate. Our thorough matching process helps ensure a successful outcome for both parties, and typically the relationship between the intended dads and their gestational carrier continues long after the delivery.
That has been the case for Kiely, who delivered twin girls for dads Jarett and Jeremy in June 2022. For her third surrogacy journey, Kiely felt strongly about carrying for a same-sex couple and says that she and her husband “fell in love with Jarett and Jeremy right away,” and the couples have remained close friends. You can read more about Kiely’s story here and Jarett and Jeremy’s story here.
With many more IPs than qualified surrogates currently available, some couples will wait months before being matched with a surrogate. We currently have several intended dads waiting to be matched, including Matt and Mert, who long to add a child to their family with whom they can share their love of travel, and Nick and Brian, who have been married for seven years and are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to welcome a child into their family who will be cherished not only by them but their large circle of extended family and friends.
Could you be the solution to creating a happy family?
If egg donation and/or surrogacy has been on your heart, there is no better time than now to start the process! We have many IPs waiting to be matched, and our experienced team at Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions is here to guide and support you throughout your journey. Click here to learn more about the requirements for our egg donor program or here to complete an application. For surrogacy, please click here to learn more about our requirements to be a gestational carrier and here to start the application process.
We help Intended Parents Create Happy Families via Egg Donation & Surrogacy with the help of caring Egg Donors & Surrogates.
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