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Your ultimate source for LGBTQ+ fertility and family-building information, including guides to surrogacy, IVF, IUI, affording treatment, LGBTQ+ parenting and much more.

Family Building | Gay Parenting | Gay Surrogacy

By: Dr. Mark P. Leondires
June 16th, 2023

Let's be honest - surrogacy can feel very intimidating. As much as you may long to grow your family, the process is often quite overwhelming. For LGBTQ+ dads-to-be, there's so much to think about (like how to choose a surrogacy agency, egg donor, gestational carrier, fertility practice, and attorney), that it's sometimes hard to even know where to start.

Gay Parenting | Gay Surrogacy | Patient Stories

By: Sierra Dehmler
September 21st, 2022

After four long years, Bret and Stephen's difficult surrogacy journey finally came to an end with the birth of their first child. Read on to hear about everything that happened on their challenging path to parenthood, what they learned about LGBTQ+ family building, and what's next for their little family of three!

Family Building | Gay Surrogacy | IVF

By: Sierra Dehmler
July 25th, 2022

Happy World Embryologist Day! We’re celebrating the fascinating, important work that our embryologists must do every single day in order to make things like IVF and cryopreservation possible. Keep reading to learn more about IVF and embryology! Skip to a section: LGBTQ+ Parents-to-Be & Fertility Treatment What do embryologists do? My embryo was abnormal…why did you still freeze it? How do you grade embryos and what does the grade mean? How long does it take to transfer in samples from another facility? How long do cryopreserved embryos last? If you used frozen sperm for my IUI/IVF procedure, why am I still receiving a storage bill? Honoring Our Embryologists More Family-Building Resources

Egg Donors | Family Building | Gay Surrogacy | Patient Stories

By: Lisa Rosenthal
June 17th, 2022

What are your dreams about Father’s Day? Is this holiday about spending time with your own father? Or is it about having children of your own? One Gay Parents To Be couple who are now happily expecting, share some of their thoughts about Father’s Day, as they await the birth of their first child.

Egg Donors | Gay Surrogacy

By: Dr. Mark P. Leondires
March 31st, 2022

Embarking on the surrogacy process can be overwhelming, whether you’re starting with a trusted provider at your fertility clinic or with an agency. Prospective parents have a myriad of questions, from “how long is this actually going to take” to “does my surrogate want to keep my baby?” At Gay Parents To Be, we’ve been a resource and a sounding board for dads-to-be for years, so we’ve learned to anticipate some of the most common questions about the egg donation, IVF, and surrogacy process for LGBTQ+ families. One key area about which parents frequently ask questions is choosing the right egg donor – this special person will contribute 50% of your child’s genetic makeup, after all! Many dads feel immense pressure to ultimately make the right choice for their family, so knowing where to turn for any and all egg donor information before they even begin the surrogacy process is incredibly helpful. Have no fear! In this blog, we’ll examine your options for egg donor selection, plus the pros and cons associated with each, so you’re prepared for what’s ahead. And if you’re looking for more information on the entire surrogacy process, check out our comprehensive guide here. Skip to a section: Where To Look For an Egg Donor Why Choose an Egg Donor from an In-House Donor Program? Why Would I Choose an Agency Egg Donor? How Fast Can I Match with My Egg Donor? The Bottom Line More Resources for Dads-to-Be

Family Building | Gay Surrogacy | LGBTQ Parenting | Patient Stories

By: Sierra Dehmler
October 13th, 2021

Navigating any surrogacy journey is challenging, but what does it look like to embark on one during a global pandemic? In this blog, new dads Robbie and Mackenzy share what it was like to become parents during the COVID-19 crisis, how they maintained a connection with their gestational carrier long-distance and everything else they learned along the way.

Egg Donors | Family Building | Gay Surrogacy | IVF

By: Emma Lott
September 8th, 2021

Surrogacy allows those in a same-sex relationship to do something that wasn’t possible 40 years ago – have their own children. You've likely already explored the surrogacy process, and now you’ve ended up here, trying to determine why the surrogacy process costs so much.

Gay Parenting | Gay Surrogacy | Patient Stories

By: Sierra Dehmler
August 20th, 2021

Becoming first-time parents in "normal" times is challenging enough, can you imagine becoming a parent during a global crisis? New dads Tyler and Eric share their winding journey through surrogacy during the COVID-19 pandemic, how it affected their timeline, and what it's been like to learn to see the world through their baby girl's eyes.

Egg Donors | Gay Surrogacy | IVF | Patient Stories

By: Sierra Dehmler
July 19th, 2021

There are many moving parts to any surrogacy journey, but one that begins at the start of a global pandemic adds a whole new layer of challenges. Dads-to-be Doug and Sanjay found that out quickly after embarking on their first surrogacy experience in March of 2020. Based in the United Kingdom, with a fertility clinic and surrogacy agency located in the United States, they had to get creative and be flexible, especially during the ban on international travel.

Egg Donors | Family Building | Gay Surrogacy | IVF | Pop Culture

By: Molly Horton Booth
July 13th, 2021

While images of “traditional” pregnancy are always just a scroll away on social media, we’re still working on making LGBTQIA+ family building (in all its forms) visible and normalized. The more we see different experiences of family building on our feeds, the more that queer people will feel encouraged to pursue the path to parenthood that best works for them. Surrogacy is one of those important family-building options for the queer community.

Family Building | Gay Surrogacy | LGBTQ Parenting | Patient Stories

By: Sierra Dehmler
June 25th, 2021

While each person's path to parenthood may look a little different, there are many common threads - especially for those who go through fertility treatment to bring their babies into the world. Whether you're a member of the LGBTQ+ community or not, choosing to pursue IVF, egg donors, and surrogacy all look very similar. In this blog, we share Julien's story, a surrogacy journey with some surprises (and obstacles) along the way.

Egg Donors | Gay Parenting | Gay Surrogacy

By: Dr. Mark P. Leondires
May 6th, 2021

As Mother’s Day approaches, it brings up the question - how do two-dad or one-dad families celebrate the occasion, if at all? If you’re a new or expecting dad, there are probably a lot of other questions that feel more pressing, like “Did we buy enough diapers?” or “Is it nap time yet?” However, if you’re a dad with slightly older children, the question “Where is my mommy?” may have already come up at the dinner table, leaving you searching for an appropriate response. For dads who build their families with the help of an egg donor and a surrogate, having a plan in place to help explain your child’s creation story and honor those important relationships is a great place to start.