At RMA, we are allies to the LGBTQ community and passionate supporters for their desire to build a family. Not only do we practice compassionate, sensitive and evidence-based fertility care for all members of this diverse community, we have experienced the life-altering joy fertility assistance can bring first-hand. At RMA, our ally physicians go above and beyond to create a safe and inclusive environment for everyone looking to build their family – from same sex male and female couples, to trans individuals, to single members of the community – and ensure all of RMA’s patients have the best possible chance at growing their families.
Meet Our Specialists
The RMA Network is proud to receive the coveted designation “LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Top Performer” in HRC Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index.
Every year, HRC recognizes the health care facilities that participate in the HEI for their dedication and commitment to LGBTQ inclusion. HRC also extends its deepest gratitude to these facilities for their courageous fight against COVID-19 and their commitment to addressing racism and injustice.
Gay men have the option of egg or embryo donation combined with gestational surrogacy. While it’s only possible to use the sperm from one man to fertilize any given egg, some gay couples choose to do a split insemination, in which half of the eggs are put with one man’s sperm and the other half are put with the other man’s sperm.
We recognize that this process requires a considerable investment of time, energy and money, not only for the medical treatment, but also for the legal contracts, agency fees and other expenses for the involved parties. We can help develop a customized treatment plan that meets a family’s needs and our team has the experience necessary to help patients every step of the way.
Lesbian women have several options for starting or growing their families. Individuals and couples can choose intrauterine insemination (IUI), also known as artificial insemination, either with an anonymous or known sperm donor or in vitro fertilization (IVF) for women who may be experiencing problems conceiving through insemination.
A team of physicians, nurses, and counselors will help patients through the process of choosing the right treatment path and sperm donor. In addition, the RMA care team can help guide patients through the process of seeking legal counsel to help prevent future legal issues with the donor over parenting rights and obligations.
IVF allows same-sex partners to share in the process of pregnancy through an approach called co-IVF or reciprocal IVF. Here, eggs are extracted from one woman, inseminated with donor sperm to create an embryo, and then the embryo is transferred back to the other woman’s uterus to carry the pregnancy. Many lesbian couples choose this shared path—it is also possible to come back for a second child and reverse who provides the egg and who carries the pregnancy.
Trans individuals or couples looking to build their family have several treatment options available depending on their gender at birth and which gametes (sperm and/or eggs) are needed for reproduction.
We are dedicated to helping patients plan ahead, or for those who have already transitioned, minimizing the break from hormones and the stress that goes along with temporarily stopping treatment.
RMA offers fertility preservation and treatment options to trans individuals and couples, both pre-and post-transition. Often the hormonal and/or surgery involved in transitioning can affect fertility and the ability to have a biological child in the future.
Trans individuals considering transitioning have the option to preserve their future fertility. The freezing of eggs, sperm or embryos prior to hormone therapy or surgery allows the opportunity to participate in the genetic makeup of any planned future offspring. Importantly, the frozen specimens can be kept for many years, and typically are still completely viable once thawed.
