At TFP Fertility, we’re committed to supporting trans women and non-binary individuals on their journey to parenthood. Every path to family creation is unique, and we’re here to guide you through your options, whether it’s fertility preservation, natural conception, sperm testing, surgical sperm retrieval, surrogacy, or finding a donor.
Exploring Your Fertility Options
Trans women, non-binary individuals, co-parents, and poly families have a variety of choices when it comes to starting a family or safeguarding their fertility for the future. The options available to you will depend on whether you have undergone any gender-affirming treatments. A fertility assessment can help determine the best paths forward.
Fertility Preservation for Trans Individuals
If you’re planning to undergo gender-affirming treatment, it’s wise to consider your future fertility options. Fertility preservation involves freezing your gametes or reproductive tissue. For trans women or non-binary people with sperm, we can collect a sample through ejaculation or a minor surgical procedure. These samples can be safely stored for up to 55 years using advanced freezing technology called vitrification. It’s best to consider this before starting hormone treatment, although options may still be available afterward, albeit with potential delays in hormone therapy.
Fertility Treatments Available
Not every trans woman or non-binary person will require fertility interventions to become a parent. The need for treatment depends on factors such as your fertility status, whether you’ve had any surgical procedures, or if you previously preserved your gametes. As you age, your natural fertility may decline, but there are treatments available to enhance your chances of pregnancy, whether using fresh or frozen gametes. Techniques include intrauterine insemination, in vitro fertilization, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
Natural Conception as a Trans Woman
If you retain your reproductive organs and want to conceive with a partner who can give birth, natural conception might be an option. If you’re on hormone therapy, it’s essential to discuss this with your healthcare team. A fertility assessment can provide insight into your gametes’ viability for fertilization.
Understanding Gamete Testing
Gamete testing evaluates the health of your reproductive cells. A sample will be examined to assess the number of gametes, their size and shape, and their motility. This information can help inform whether to proceed with IUI, IVF, or ICSI. If sperm quality is low, IVF with ICSI can boost the chances of a successful pregnancy.
Surgical Gamete Retrieval
If you’ve had a penectomy or face challenges with ejaculation, surgical gamete retrieval may be an option for fertility treatments involving a birthing parent or surrogate.
Using a Sperm Donor
For those who have had their testes removed and did not freeze their gametes, exploring the option of a sperm donor is a possibility. If you are considering surrogacy, it’s important to note that either an egg donor or a sperm donor can be utilized, but not both from outside sources simultaneously.
Surrogacy Options
For trans women and non-binary individuals assigned male at birth, surrogacy could be a route to single parenthood or co-parenting with someone who cannot carry a pregnancy. Surrogacy involves an individual who agrees to carry a child, allowing you to become the legal parent through a parental order. If using the surrogate’s eggs, techniques such as IUI, IVF, or ICSI can be employed.
Finding a Donor
We can assist you in locating a sperm donor for treatments like IUI, ICSI, or IVF, utilizing our sperm bank or trusted sources. Known donors, such as friends or family members, are also an option, but they must undergo necessary health screenings. Similarly, we can help you find an egg donor for your treatments, ensuring they meet strict medical criteria to enhance success rates.
Support and Resources
Navigating fertility treatment as part of the LGBTQ+ community can be overwhelming, but you’re not alone. We offer counseling, support groups, and a wealth of information for your journey. You can learn about home insemination, including the risks and procedures involved. For more insights, check out our blog on navigating toddler behavior, which ties into family planning.
If you’re ready to explore your fertility options, our compassionate team is here to help. Contact us for personalized support.
Summary
At TFP Fertility, we provide tailored fertility options for trans women and non-binary individuals, including preservation, natural conception, and donor options. Our goal is to support you in building your family in a way that feels right for you, offering resources and guidance throughout the process.