Trouble Conceiving: ABC13 Interviews Dr. Clapp, Fertility Specialist
Posted in Houston Fertility Institute News • December 7th, 2017 • by Houston Fertility Institute
IVF & Surrogacy for Same Sex Couples Help Make Dreams Come True
Posted by Houston Fertility Institute on May 30th, 2017
Patients of HFI’s Dr. Abdallah Featured in Article at Texas Medical Center
Thanks to advances in science through the years, advanced fertility specialists can provide options such as IVF and surrogacy for same sex couples that make having their own biological babies a very real possibility. A recent article at the Texas Medical Center, “Modern Family: Surrogacy and the Science of IVF,” describes the journey one couple, patients of Houston Fertility Institute’s Dr. Mazen Abdallah, went through to build their family.
Today, the couple share three children. One of the men is the biological father of their first child and his husband is the biological father of their twins. All three children share the same biological mother, a chosen egg donor, as well as the same gestational surrogate.
Considering Ways for Same Sex Couples to Have a Baby
Both men had always wanted a big family. They first considered adoption, but due to fear of a possible legal battle if the biological parents disapproved of the same sex parents, they decide against it. Female friends offered to help using an unconventional DIY method of artificial insemination. The couple then considered surrogacy, an increasingly popular option for same sex couples.
But the high cost of surrogacy made realizing their dream seem nearly impossible, at least until a sister-in-law agreed to help. Because traditional surrogacy in which a woman both provides the egg and carries the embryo is illegal in Texas, she would serve as their gestational surrogate. (Read about gestational surrogacy and how it works here.)
The Dream of Having Biological Babies Becomes Real
The couple selected an egg donor, and then through IVF, the eggs were fertilized with one of the men’s sperm in the lab. After a few days of growing the embryos, Dr. Abdallah implanted two of fertilized embryos in the surrogate. She gave birth in 2015 to the couple’s first child.
Both men wanted to be a biological father, so the IVF process was repeated six months later. That time they had twins.
Reading the article, you can feel the pain of struggles the couple endured, as well as the joys they shared in building and raising their family. You can also understand how special the gifts their surrogate gave were, considering all she went through to give them. And, you can learn more about the science that made the process possible.
Learn about IVF & Surrogacy for Same Sex Couples at Houston Fertility Institute
If you are interested in learning more about IVF and want to explore your options for building a family, we invite you to contact Houston Fertility Institute. A leader in fertility treatments for same sex couples, HFI is dedicated to making dreams come true.
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