Building Families with Pride: Fertility Clinic Options for Same-Sex Couples

Reproductive rights, as outlined by the World Health Organization, encompass the fundamental right of all individuals and couples to make independent, responsible decisions about the number, spacing and timing of their children, while having access to the necessary information and resources, alongside the right to achieve optimal sexual and reproductive health.

As we observe Pride Month this October, our dedicated team would like to highlight the innovative family building packages available for same-sex couples, ensuring they can fulfill their dreams of parenthood, all of which are available right at Cape Fertility in Cape Town, South Africa.

Female Same-Sex Couples

Female same-sex couples can achieve pregnancy through donor sperm combined with either IUI (Intrauterine Insemination) or IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation) procedures.

Donor Sperm

Sperm donations are from healthy, altruistic young men who contribute to helping unknown couples create their families.

At Cape Fertility we have our own sperm bank, called the Cape Cryobank. Using secure technology, couples can review detailed profiles of anonymous sperm donors and select a donor of their choice.

These profiles contain only physical descriptions, educational background, personal interests, and medical histories. Complete anonymity is maintained – donors and recipients never meet or receive identifying details about one another.

For donor sperm to successfully fertilise an egg and result in pregnancy, two primary fertility treatments are available: IUI and IVF.
Both IUI and IVF treatments enhance the likelihood of successful fertilisation between egg and sperm.

IUI Treatment

IUI represents the most frequently chosen treatment for female same-sex couples, available in two approaches: within a natural menstrual cycle or through a medicated cycle for the partner who will carry the baby.

Natural cycles work best for women who ovulate consistently without assistance. Approximately 12 days into the intended mom’s menstrual cycle, ultrasound technology measures follicle size (the fluid-filled sacs containing developing eggs). When the follicles reach optimal size, the enclosed egg should be mature and ready for release – typically within 36 hours. This timing allows the IUI procedure to be scheduled so sperm will be present in the fallopian tubes when ovulation occurs.

Medicated cycles involve the intended mom taking specific medications that provide greater control over ovulation timing and IUI scheduling. This approach may be required for various reasons – perhaps a woman has polycystic ovaries or other conditions preventing natural egg development or ovulation. Treatment options include both oral medications and injectable forms.

During medicated cycles too, ultrasound and/or blood testing on days 11 or 12 identify follicles ready for triggering. At the optimal moment, patients receive a trigger injection that initiates the 36-hour ovulation timeline. This allows for extremely precise timing of the insemination procedure.

The insemination process is straightforward and performed in our examination room – similar to a routine pap smear. During the insemination appointment, the donor sperm sample is thawed in our laboratory, loaded into a syringe, and connected to a thin catheter. The fertility specialist inserts a speculum into the vagina, allowing the thin catheter containing sperm to pass through the cervix (the opening to the womb), and the sperm is gently injected into the upper uterus.

Most patients experience no pain or discomfort. Following the IUI procedure, patients can resume normal daily routines.

Pregnancy testing occurs approximately two weeks later. IUI success rates average around 25% per cycle – equivalent to natural conception rates for couples without fertility issues.

However, outcomes are highly individual and not every couple will succeed on their first try. Even with perfect timing, egg and sperm quality significantly impact results, and the fertilised embryo must successfully travel through the fallopian tubes to the uterus for implantation. Additional factors affecting success include age and other fertility influences such as tubal issues, endometriosis, or polycystic ovaries.

Your fertility specialist typically recommends between four and six IUI cycles before reassessing the treatment approach, though this remains highly individualised.

IVF Treatment

IVF provides another fertilisation option for same-sex couples.

It also creates a unique opportunity for female same-sex couples to both participate in the pregnancy journey: one partner contributes her eggs while the other carries the pregnancy.

The egg-providing partner undergoes medical stimulation before egg retrieval. Donated eggs are also an option when necessary, for example, if same-sex partners are older (35+) or facing challenges with diminished egg quality that reduce the chances of conception.

The eggs are then fertilised with donor sperm in a laboratory. Here, the resulting embryos develop for several days before the carrying partner undergoes the IVF procedure, during which embryos are transferred into her uterus.

Male Same-Sex Couples

Male same-sex couples can also build families through surrogacy or adoption – both well-established pathways to parenthood.

Traditional surrogacy is rarely used today since it involves artificially inseminating a surrogate with the intended father’s sperm using her own eggs, making her the child’s genetic mother.

Gestational surrogacy through IVF offers a contemporary approach to family creation. This surrogacy type uses donor eggs fertilised in our laboratory with sperm from one or both male partners – or from a sperm donor when needed. The fertilised eggs are then transferred to the surrogate’s uterus. Donor sperm can also be utilised when required.

Discovering Your Ideal Family-Building Path

Your journey toward finding the perfect family-building solution begins with a simple step: contact us by clicking here…

Cape Fertility values every individual patient and invite you to come and experience individualised and personalised care, accessible quality fertility treatment, and superior success rates at our specially designed facility in the beautiful city of Cape Town in South Africa.