Can 2 woman get pregnant

Can a Girl Get Pregnant by Another Girl?

Conceiving a baby can happen in many ways — planned, unplanned, through intercourse, in a fertility clinic… the truth is there’s more than one way for a pregnancy to begin. But one constant in all those ways is that a sperm fertilizes an egg.

So what happens neither partner produces sperm? Curious about how that works, exactly?

Well, it can work, but there are a few more steps to get from point A to point B. Here are answers to all your questions about whether pregnancy is possible between two people with uteruses, as well as the various routes a lesbian couple can take to achieve pregnancy.

The short answer to this question is no, not through sexual intercourse. Two cisgender women (meaning assigned female at birth) in a relationship cannot become pregnant without some form of assisted reproductive technology (ART).

The reasoning goes back to basic biology and how an embryo is formed. To create an embryo, a sperm cell and egg cell must meet in some way.

This can happen through penis-in-vagina sex, where the sperm swim up the vaginal canal, make their way up the fallopian tubes, and find an egg waiting after ovulation.

This can also happen through other routes, like intrauterine insemination (IUI), where sperm is introduced into the uterus through a tube inserted through the cervix, or in vitro fertilization (IVF), where sperm is directly injected into the egg in a lab setting and transferred to the uterus at a later time.

The bottom line is that you need both sperm and eggs to make an embryo. Just one of each will do, but pregnancy cannot happen without both in the mix.

Side note: Even if two people cannot create a baby together, they can still share other things, like sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It’s a good idea to have sex with an appropriate barrier method whether or not pregnancy is a consideration.

The exception

Again, if both partners have a uterus, fallopian tubes, and eggs, there will be no sperm to enter into the equation without a donor. However, some people who identify as women may produce sperm.

If two women want to make a baby and one is cisgender and one is transgender (meaning they were assigned male at birth), there are several ways their sperm and eggs might meet, including through penetrative intercourse or ART.

There’s really no right or wrong way to go about making a family. The option a couple chooses to build their family might be influenced by cost, availability, and personal preference.

One person may have a desire to be a biological parent — while another may not. One person may have a desire to be pregnant — while another may not.

One partner may choose to carry the pregnancy using their own egg or, alternatively, their partner’s egg, depending on personal preferences. Or a couple might opt to use a surrogate or adopt a child.

Below is some more information on the available options when a pregnancy is desired.

Donor sperm

As previously noted, sperm is a necessary part of the baby-making equation. Donor sperm can be acquired from a donor bank or even a friend or family member (a partner’s brother, for example).

When selecting a sperm donor, you may look for someone with similarities to you or your partner. Or not. It’s really up to you.

If you chose a donor through a clinic, you’ll generally be given a catalog with information about the donor’s cultural and ethnic background, along with other details to help with your selection.

Your donor may choose to remain anonymous or have an “open identity” (open ID), which means they agree to having contact with any children after they turn 18 years old.

According to the Seattle Sperm Bank, a single vial of sperm may cost anywhere between $490 and 995 depending on where you purchase it. And shipping costs can be quite steep ($150 and up) when you consider the swimmers need to be kept cold before usage.

If two people with uteruses in a relationship wish to use donor sperm, one (or both, if additional children are desired) may opt to carry a pregnancy. There are a few ways that the donor sperm can be used in order to achieve pregnancy, including insemination and in vitro fertilization.

Insemination

Artificial insemination allows couples to become pregnant by introducing sperm into the uterus without penis-in-vagina sex. Once you have secured your sperm, you may choose to inseminate in a clinic or at home.

There are a few types of insemination:

• intracervical insemination (ICI), which involves putting sperm into the vagina, near the cervix, similar to what would happen with intercourse
• intrauterine insemination (IUI), which involves putting sperm directly into the uterus by using a tube that goes through the cervix

Because of the nature of an IUI, it’s typically performed in a clinic, while an ICI can safely happen both at home or in a clinic.

At-home insemination

Some couples prefer the less clinical aspect of trying for a pregnancy in the comfort of their own home. You can work with a clinic for some aspects of the process (like finding sperm or supplies) or opt to go it on your own.

There are also insemination kits you can purchase that include everything you’ll need and even more specific instructions. The overall cost will depend upon the source for your sperm and other supplies, but this is typically the most affordable option.

Clinic insemination

If you’d rather let the professionals take the wheel, you can also head to your doctor for an ICI or IUI. The cost of IUI will be higher than doing things at home (Planned Parenthood estimates the cost at $300 to $1,000 per cycle), but your insurance may cover some of the bill.

One older study revealed that lesbian couples had a 57 percent success rate with getting pregnant using IUI.

In vitro fertilization (IVF)

IVF is an option if one partner wants to be pregnant using the other partner’s egg (reciprocal IVF) or even a donor egg. This procedure can also be used if a transgender partner had sperm previously frozen.

IVF may be a good method to try if you’re experiencing certain fertility issues. It involves fertilizing eggs in the lab and then introducing the resulting embryo(s) directly into the uterus for implantation.

The first step is harvesting eggs from one partner (or a donor) and acquiring sperm from a donor. From there, the eggs are fertilized and you’ll decide with your doctor how many of them to transfer or save for future procedures.

Then the partner who desires to be pregnant (or a gestational carrier) is primed with various medications to prepare for the transfer of the embryo(s) and — hopefully — successful implantation.

This process is the most invasive and the most costly of all options. According to CNY Fertility, the national average cost of a complete IVF cycle is somewhere around $20,000, some of which may or may not be covered by insurance.

Other options

There are additional paths that you might consider based on your (and your partner’s) own needs and fertility status. You may opt to use a surrogate to carry the pregnancy or to build a family through adoption. Each of these options comes with unique costs, emotions, and considerations.

While a girl can’t get another girl pregnant without some assistance, the good news is that lesbian couples have many options for achieving pregnancy. The method you choose has to do with things like your (or your partner’s) desire to have a biological child, your health and fertility history, and your budget.

If you have questions, make an appointment with your doctor or perhaps a specialist at a fertility clinic. And above all else, best of luck as you navigate your own unique path to parenthood!

New fertility procedure allows 2 women to carry same baby, presents new choices for same-sex couples

DALLAS, Texas -- For the first time in history, two women have carried the same baby thanks to an amazing new medical advance.

"He's our miracle baby," said Ashleigh Coulter. The 28-year-old mother talked with WFAA in Dallas.

Baby Stetson has two doting moms.

"He's perfect," said Bliss Coutler, 36. "Our cute little cowboy."

STUDY: C-section rates in US doubled from 15 years ago

Bliss and Ashleigh met six years ago, fell in love, then came marriage.

"I wanted to be pregnant for so long and so bad," Ashleigh said as she sat beside her wife, Bliss.

"I always wanted to have a child," Bliss added. "I just didn't want to carry the child."

The couple knew that welcoming their own biological child would require a sperm donor, and some creativity.

"Obviously, us being two women, we were like how can we make this happen?" Ashleigh said. "We felt like there has to be a way."

It turned out, there was a way for both women to carry their own baby.

Fertility specialists Dr. Kathy Doody and husband Dr. Kevin Doody at the CARE Fertility in Bedford were the first to try reciprocal effortless In Vitro Fertilization using radical technology, which gave Bliss and Ashleigh a shot at motherhood.

"We were just talking one night at home and I said, 'You know, I think we could use this for a same-sex couple,'" Dr. Kathy recalled. "And Kevin said, 'I think you're right. I think we could.'"

RELATED: California twins born in two different years

Here's how the process works. It starts like traditional IVF.

"Bliss went through the stimulation of her ovaries and the egg harvest," Kathy said.

Instead of placing the sperm and Bliss' eggs into incubators in a lab, which is called reciprocal IVF and has been carried out for same-sex couples for years, they go into the chamber of the INVOcell device immediately after egg retrieval. The device is placed into Bliss' body for five days where early embryo development begins.

"She got the embryo off to an early start," Kathy said. "The eggs fertilized in her body and when they returned five days later, we removed the device and froze the embryos."

Because embryos don't have livers, kidneys or lungs, traditionally, electromechanical devices like incubators are used in labs to remove toxins and try to maintain a supportive environment for the embryo.

"It turns out, not surprisingly, that the woman's own body is a very good incubator," Kathy said, clarifying how INVOcell works. "We have livers, kidneys and lungs so we're able to provide those same services to the embryo more naturally."

Next, it's Ashleigh's turn.

"Almost like passing the baton, like it's a relay race," Kathy said.

Doctors evaluated Ashleigh's uterus, gave her estrogen and then progesterone, waited for the right time and transferred her wife's embryos to her body. They got pregnant on the first try.

"She got to carry him for five days and was a big part of the fertilization, and then I carried him for nine months," Ashleigh said. "So that made it really special for the both of us-that we were both involved. She got to be a part of it, and I got to be a part of it."

The cost of effortless IVF using INVOcell is approximately half the cost of traditional IVF, which usually runs between $14,000 and $16,000 with medication.

Reciprocal effortless IVF, which is the process Bliss and Ashleigh underwent, is about $8,000 with medication, compared to traditional reciprocal IVF involving lab incubators that cost roughly $15,000 to $20,000.

Kathy responded to critics who may believe that this science is contrary to religious beliefs.

"Well, I would respectfully disagree with them," Kathy said. "I think that family, relationship, children is exactly everything that was meant to be in our world."

"It was everything I hoped it would be," Ashleigh said.

Stetson is a happy, healthy 5-month-old baby. Bliss and Ashleigh are busy with motherhood.

"No one really knew it was possible but it worked magnificently," Bliss said.

The couple have two additional frozen embryos from Bliss that they could use the same way unless Ashleigh wants to use her eggs next time because only Bliss' genes transferred to Stetson.

"I think it opens up new avenues, new choices for same sex couples," Kathy said.

Since Ashleigh's delivery, a second same-sex couple in North Texas went through the reciprocal effortless IVF process at CARE Fertility, got pregnant and delivered a healthy baby girl in September.

ROPA technique MOTHERHOOD IN LESBIAN, BISEXUAL AND TRANSEXUAL COUPLES

Thanks to advanced technology and individually tailored treatments, modern seminal models can achieve pregnancy. For example, the ROPA method allows same-sex female couples to actively participate in the fertilization process. One of them is the genetic mother of the child, and the other is the biological

In vitro fertilization method ROPA (Use of partner eggs) or use of female partner's oocytes is one of the assisted reproduction techniques that allows married women of the same sex marriage to participate in fertilization and pregnancy.

One provides oocytes, which are inseminated with sperm from anonymous donor , while the other receives embryos and carries a child. As a result, after giving prior consent, there is a genetic mother and one who bears a child. nine0003

Conception requires interaction within the female reproductive organs of two germ cells: one female and one male. If, due to gender identity or sexual orientation, this path is unacceptable for a woman, it is necessary to resort to artificial reproduction methods, because sexual orientation and the desire to have offspring should not necessarily be associated with these biological characteristics. nine0003

Today we meet with different types of families whose situations and desires require individual approach in each case, such as pregnancy between two women.

Instituto Bernabeu always takes into account the special needs of each patient and adapts the medical services and fertility treatment to provide a personalized in vitro fertilization procedure.

Under current Spanish law: “A woman may use the methods regulated by this Law, regardless of her marital status and sexual orientation.” Therefore, the law enshrines the right to motherhood for all women, and more importantly, not only because of infertility.

Since 2007, Spanish law has allowed the registration of dual motherhood at the registry office. At the same time, children born using the ROPA method in a female same-sex couple are legally owned by both mothers only if their relationship is officially married. nine0003

If the women are unmarried, then the genetic mother (who did not bear a child) will have to start the process of adoption or adoption in order to be legally registered as a mother in the Civil Registry.

In the case of embryo freezing with the ROPA method (Use of Partner Oocytes), if there is no medical indication for transfer only to the partner who has already received the embryo/s for the first time, the frozen embryos can be transferred to either of them in the subsequent cycle so how women are married and embryos are shared. nine0003

), we offer a new alternative to co-motherhood - the ROPA method with partner egg retrieval.

Currently, although this technique is not mandated by law, one can resort to the ROPA (Reception of Oocytes from PArtner) method, or the use of female partner oocytes, which allows two women of the same sex marriage to participate in insemination and pregnancy. One provides oocytes, which are inseminated with sperm from an anonymous donor, and the other receives embryos to conceive. As a result, after the provision of prior consent, there is a genetic mother and one who bears a child. For this purpose, since 2007, Spanish law has allowed the registration of dual motherhood in the Civil Registry in the case of same-sex marriages. In this regard, children born in Spain using the ROPA method will be the children of two mothers from a legal point of view. nine0003

ROPA is conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) adapted to the reproductive needs of lesbian families. First of all, it is necessary to examine both patients in order to develop an individually tailored treatment method in accordance with their state of health. Then, the ovaries are stimulated to obtain a sufficient number of embryos and thus increase the chances of conceiving a child. At the same time, the recipient partner goes through the process of preparing the uterus for the transfer and implantation of the embryo. As soon as the maturation of oocytes (oocytes) is established, the cells are punctured and aspirated. After that, the egg is fertilized in the laboratory with the donor's sperm from our sperm bank. And then, we culture the embryos under close supervision and do the transfer on the 5th or 6th day. Thus, we manage to transfer embryos to the blastocyst stage, optimizing the chances of pregnancy. The following months of pregnancy will develop like any other pregnancy, allowing both women to enjoy this happiness. nine0003

In addition, epigenetics has shown that environmental factors and the lifestyle of a pregnant woman marks and determines the expression of the genes of the unborn child. Therefore, it is also genetically involved in the development of the child.

Any method of reproductive treatment (IVF, adoption of embryos or ROPA) has an emotional impact. Therefore, to help our patients walk this path, the Instituto Bernabeu offers, on request and at no extra charge, sessions with a psychologist, with which expectant mothers will be prepared for the possible emotions during each stage of the process and pregnancy. nine0003