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These are two distinct arrangements, and they are sometimes confused.

Using a donor egg means that eggs from another individual are used to create an embryo, which is then transferred to your uterus (or the uterus of your partner or gestational carrier). The donor egg recipient carries the pregnancy. This is used when a person's own eggs are not available or are unlikely to lead to a successful pregnancy.

A gestational carrier (sometimes called a gestational surrogate) is a person who carries a pregnancy created using the intended parent's or donor's eggs and intended parent's or donor's sperm. The gestational carrier has no genetic connection to the resulting child. This arrangement is used when the intended parent cannot carry a pregnancy themselves.

These options can also be combined: a donor egg can be used to create an embryo that a gestational carrier then carries.

Both pathways involve medical screening, psychological consultation, and legal steps. Your care team can explain which pathway fits your situation and what each process involves.

Reciprocal IVF is a family-building option for same-sex female couples in which one partner's eggs are retrieved and fertilized with donor sperm, and the resulting embryo is transferred to the other partner's uterus. This allows both partners to have a biological role in the pregnancy: one as the genetic contributor and one as the person who carries and delivers the child.

The process involves the same steps as standard IVF for the partner contributing the eggs (stimulation, monitoring, retrieval) and a standard frozen embryo transfer protocol for the partner carrying the pregnancy. Donor sperm is selected and used to fertilize the retrieved eggs in the laboratory. Legal documentation is an important part of this process and is typically handled through a reproductive attorney.

Kofinas has experience with reciprocal IVF as part of a range of LGBTQ+ family-building pathways.

Chemotherapy, radiation to the pelvis or whole body, and certain surgical procedures used to treat cancer can affect fertility. The type of treatment and the dose are factors that determine the extent of the risk, but for patients of reproductive age who have not yet completed their family, fertility preservation before cancer treatment is worth discussing urgently.

Options vary by time available and individual circumstances, and may include egg freezing (oocyte cryopreservation), embryo freezing (if a partner or sperm donor is available), or in some cases ovarian tissue cryopreservation. The goal is to preserve options before treatment begins. Kofinas coordinates with oncology teams to move quickly when time is limited.

A consultation can often be scheduled within days for patients who are facing an imminent treatment start.

An egg freezing cycle involves a stimulation phase of approximately 10 to 14 days, during which you take injectable hormone medications and attend monitoring appointments every 1 to 3 days (bloodwork and ultrasound). At the end of stimulation, when follicles reach the appropriate size, a trigger injection is given and retrieval is scheduled approximately 36 hours later. The retrieval itself is an outpatient procedure performed under sedation and typically takes 15 to 30 minutes.

From the first day of medication to retrieval, most cycles take 2 to 3 weeks. A consultation and baseline evaluation before the cycle adds some time at the front end. If you have a target start date in mind, scheduling a consultation at least 4 to 6 weeks before that date is a reasonable approach, though the team can discuss what is realistic for your specific situation.

Using a gestational carrier is not limited to situations where the intended parent is medically unable to carry a pregnancy. There are a range of circumstances in which a gestational carrier may be part of a family-building plan, including recurrent pregnancy loss, conditions that make pregnancy medically inadvisable, same-sex male couples, and single individuals who cannot carry a pregnancy.

The decision to involve a gestational carrier is personal as well as clinical, and the medical, psychological, and legal requirements apply regardless of the reason. A consultation is the appropriate place to discuss whether this pathway fits your situation and what the process involves.

Yes. Kofinas has worked with same-sex couples, single individuals, and transgender patients as part of its family-building care for many years. The team has experience with the full range of LGBTQ+ pathways, including reciprocal IVF, donor sperm IVF, donor egg IVF, and gestational carrier arrangements. Inclusive, bias-free care is the standard, not an exception.

Language, intake forms, and clinical discussions are designed to reflect the diversity of family structures and personal situations that patients bring. If there is anything specific about your situation that you want to discuss before booking an appointment, a conversation with a care coordinator is a no-pressure starting point.

Sperm banking is the process of collecting, freezing, and storing sperm for future use. It is worth considering in several situations: before a medical treatment (such as chemotherapy or radiation) that may affect sperm production; as a backup when sperm parameters are borderline or declining; for individuals planning surgery that may affect reproductive function; or simply as a form of fertility preservation when future family planning is uncertain.

The process is straightforward: a semen sample is collected and sent to the laboratory for analysis, processing, and cryopreservation. Multiple samples are often stored to give more options later.

Third-party reproduction involves layers of coordination that can feel overwhelming, and having support throughout is important. Beyond the medical team, care coordinators at Kofinas are available to help navigate the process, answer questions between appointments, and connect you with the appropriate resources at each stage.