How does the surrogacy process work for gay men?
The first step is for our team to share profiles of surrogates who may best match your needs. Once you choose a surrogate, our team arranges a video or in-person meeting so that both parties have a chance to meet to determine compatibility. After a successful matching, both parties complete a legal agreement with the help of attorney representation. After the legal agreement is complete, the surrogate can undergo an embryo transfer. Our surrogates are all prescreened and can undergo embryo transfer shortly after all agreements are in place.
To read about the process of egg donation and surrogacy for gay men in more detail, follow this link to our dedicacted page.
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We are a male gay couple. Who will be the biological father if we use a surrogate?
Both members of a gay couple can provide sperm and become the biological father. Fertility clinics typically split donor eggs 50/50 between both fathers so that both men can create embryos. At times, gay couples may choose to have only one partner be the biological father. Gay couples may make this choice due to the quality of sperm as assessed by semen analysis or for personal reasons.
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Can you choose the gender of your baby when using a surrogate?
Sperm determines the sex of the baby. Unfortunately, despite years of research, no viable method exists to sex-select sperm. Instead, embryologists perform sex selection by testing embryos derived from a donor egg using Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGT-A) screening. With this technique, embryologists remove cells from a 5-day old embryo and send the cells to a lab for genetic analysis. The analysis reveals the sex of the embryo and whether the embryo is normal. Usually, there will be embryos of both sexes, so long there is a sufficient number of embryos tested.
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What is the cut-off age for surrogacy for gay men?
There is no set cut-off age for gay surrogacy. However, individuals and couples must undergo psychological screening. This screening helps ensure that the individual or couple understands the challenges they may encounter as an older parent and topics related to child welfare. These topics include the importance of maintaining a support network of family and friends who can help care for the child in the event of the parents’ disability or death.
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How can two men each have a biological baby?
For both male partners to each have a biological baby, each partner needs to provide sperm to fertilize a separate egg. Typically, embryologists split the number of donor eggs 50/50 between the male partners so that both partners can create embryos. Clinicians can then transfer one embryo created from sperm of each partner to one or two surrogates. Sometimes gay male couples choose to have twins, and sometimes they decide to have their children sequentially, which is possible by freezing embryos for future use.
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Can one child have two biological fathers?
No. A child cannot have two biological fathers. Only one sperm cell from one male fertilizes a donor egg.
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How can you have twins with two different biological dads?
Both partners can provide sperm and become biological fathers using gay couple surrogacy. In this case, each father is only the biological father to one of the two children. Typically, embryologists split the number of donor eggs 50/50 between each male partner. Our clinicians can then transfer one embryo from the sperm of each partner to a surrogate. Couples can select the sex of each child through Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGT-A).
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Who are the people involved in gay men surrogacy?
Unlike most fertility centers, Santa Monica Fertility has in-house egg donor and surrogacy agencies. We provide prescreened egg donors and surrogates all the medical treatment they need. Our team continues to support patients throughout the surrogate pregnancy and childbirth. This integrated approach allows us to provide a comprehensive and seamless experience to our parents-to-be, egg donors and surrogates.
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We are a male gay couple, and we both want to be biological dads. What is the solution?
Both male partners can be biological dads. However, male partners cannot be the biological dads of the same child. Only one sperm cell fertilizes each egg. For each male partner to be a biological dad, each male partner will need to fertilize a separate egg with his sperm. The male gay couple can then have twins with the same surrogate or have each child sequentially.
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I have HIV. Can I still have a healthy biological child?
Santa Monica Fertility offers comprehensive fertility care to men with HIV who have undetectable viral levels. We provide prescreened egg donors and surrogates and all the medical treatment necessary for a healthy surrogate pregnancy. Our Santa Monica and Miami clinics have the capabilities to properly wash sperm and prevent HIV transmission to the surrogate and baby. Follow this link to our page dedicated to family building for HIV+ men to learn more.
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Do I choose an egg donor or a surrogate first?
After our clinicians ensure that your semen analysis and infectious disease tests are normal, you select an egg donor. Our team then retrieves the donor eggs and creates and freezes the embryos. Parents-to-be can select a surrogate either while the egg donor undergoes the IVF cycle or after our embryologists create and freeze the embryos.
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Do I need to choose a surrogate and an egg donor who live in the same state as me?
No. Our team can work with egg donors remotely and have them travel to Santa Monica Fertility to have their eggs retrieved. We work with surrogates from states with surrogacy-friendly laws. While it is not necessary to choose a surrogate from the state you live in, it may be easier for you to attend obstetric appointments and the birth if you live nearby.
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For more answers to questions around surrogacy, click here to view our Premium Surrogacy site FAQs.
