Surrogate Mothers Online Q & A: My partner and I are lesbians. I have had a hysterectomy. We would like information on me using one of my eggs (overies were kept and are working), implanting into partner and using a sperm donor. Have you heard of this? How expensive are we talking? How successful has it been? Where should I start my information gathering? - <a href="mailto:woodsie8@yahoo.com">Woodsie</a> in Oregon

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Miscellaneous surrogacy related questions that do not fit under any of the other categories

15. My partner and I are lesbians. I have had a hysterectomy. We would like information on me using one of my eggs (overies were kept and are working), implanting into partner and using a sperm donor. Have you heard of this? How expensive are we talking? How successful has it been? Where should I start my information gathering? - Woodsie in Oregon - Top

Dear Woodsie,

The procedure would have to be an IVF (in-vitro fertilization) where they would extract your eggs, fertilize them with donor sperm and implant it into your partner. Most IVF's run on average about $10,000. I would start with a Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE) to determine if you are still able to produce viable eggs. Resolve (a national infertility support organization -
http://www.resolve.org) should have the names of clinics in your area.

I would ask these clinics if they work with surrogacy using donor sperm prior to setting up an appointment. Success depends on a number of factors. The quality of the clinic, the age (and hence quality) of your eggs, the fertility of your partner. The biggest factor is your age and whether you underwent chemo or radiation therapy along with your hysterectomy.

Best of luck,

Linda P
Mom of twins via surrogacy and donor egg

Woodsie,

Yes. This has worked before. There was another
lesbian couple who did this but had legal troubles. They were in a state where it was illegal to do surrogacy. But from my last email with them everything went smoothly.

The procedure you are looking at is called IVF, and you will be looking at about 5,000 and up. If you both have insurance that may cover the IVF procedures, then you fee will be much less. Contact your HR person at work and ask them.

I would start by contacting, Gail at Growing
Generations in CA, you won't need to use them as an agency BUT they will be a vast source of info for legalities. And resources for DR's.

As for the medical part I would contact the DR that did your hysterectomy and ask him if he would know of anyone who could help you.

Good Luck,
Jennifer
TS Scarlett 6/11/98

Woodsie,

I do not see why you and your partner could not do this. However, it would require you to use IVF and that can be very expensive. While using IVF would give you a genetic link to the child you may want to consider doing artificial inseminations with donor sperm as it is less expense. Our daughter was born via traditional surrogacy which means our surrogate was artificially inseminated with my husbands sperm. So in our case I do not have a genetic link to my daughter, but I do not love her any less. You have both options available to you and which ever will work best for you can be used. You should check into your insurance because some insurance companies do cover IVF. Hope this helps.

Lynn - Updated: February 13, 2000
Miscellaneous surrogacy related questions that do not fit under any of the other categories

15. My partner and I are lesbians. I have had a hysterectomy. We would like information on me using one of my eggs (overies were kept and are working), implanting into partner and using a sperm donor. Have you heard of this? How expensive are we talking? How successful has it been? Where should I start my information gathering? - Woodsie in Oregon - Top: Dear Woodsie,

The procedure would have to be an IVF (in-vitro fertilization) where they would extract your eggs, fertilize them with donor sperm and implant it into your partner. Most IVF's run on average about $10,000. I would start with a Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE) to determine if you are still able to produce viable eggs. Resolve (a national infertility support organization -
http://www.resolve.org) should have the names of clinics in your area.

I would ask these clinics if they work with surrogacy using donor sperm prior to setting up an appointment. Success depends on a number of factors. The quality of the clinic, the age (and hence quality) of your eggs, the fertility of your partner. The biggest factor is your age and whether you underwent chemo or radiation therapy along with your hysterectomy.

Best of luck,

Linda P
Mom of twins via surrogacy and donor egg

Woodsie,

Yes. This has worked before. There was another
lesbian couple who did this but had legal troubles. They were in a state where it was illegal to do surrogacy. But from my last email with them everything went smoothly.

The procedure you are looking at is called IVF, and you will be looking at about 5,000 and up. If you both have insurance that may cover the IVF procedures, then you fee will be much less. Contact your HR person at work and ask them.

I would start by contacting, Gail at Growing
Generations in CA, you won't need to use them as an agency BUT they will be a vast source of info for legalities. And resources for DR's.

As for the medical part I would contact the DR that did your hysterectomy and ask him if he would know of anyone who could help you.

Good Luck,
Jennifer
TS Scarlett 6/11/98

Woodsie,

I do not see why you and your partner could not do this. However, it would require you to use IVF and that can be very expensive. While using IVF would give you a genetic link to the child you may want to consider doing artificial inseminations with donor sperm as it is less expense. Our daughter was born via traditional surrogacy which means our surrogate was artificially inseminated with my husbands sperm. So in our case I do not have a genetic link to my daughter, but I do not love her any less. You have both options available to you and which ever will work best for you can be used. You should check into your insurance because some insurance companies do cover IVF. Hope this helps.

Lynn - Updated: February 13, 2000

Unless stated otherwise, all responses in the SMO Q&A are courtesy of one or more of the following hosts:

Sherry - Experienced gestational surrogate currently working on her 2nd surrogacy arrangement

Linda - New Mommy to twins born via gestational surrogacy and egg donation

Jennifer S. - Experienced AI surrogate

Lynn - New Mommy to a daughter born via traditional surrogacy

Tracie - 5 time egg donor (triplets, 2 sets of twins and 2 singletons) and 3 time surrogate (2-AI, 1-IVF).

Lisa - Experienced egg donor and previous gestational surrogate currently working on her 2nd surrogacy arrangement (Lisa was our former ED host, prior to July 1999.)
Disclaimer: Responses from SMO Q&A Hosts do not necessarily represent the opinions and ideas of SMO. Neither the Q&A hosts nor SMO guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the responses given here. As such, neither SMO nor the Q&A hosts are responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of such information. Neither SMO nor the Q&A hosts shall be liable or responsible to any person or entity for any loss or damage caused, or alleged to have been caused, directly or indirectly by the information or ideas contained, suggested, or referenced in these responses.

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