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Today, 26th April, is National Lesbian Visibility Day, a day to demand equal rights and opportunities for lesbians. These include the desire to become a mother, and this is where assisted reproduction can do its bit to help women and lesbian couples who want to expand their families.
What options does Tambre offer in order that two women can become mums? In today’s article, we give you all the information you need.
The advantages of Spanish legislation for becoming mums
Spain has one of the most comprehensive, modern and up-to-date legislations on assisted reproduction in Europe and the world, all of which is set out in Law 14/2006, of 26 May, on assisted human reproduction techniques.
Spain offers more accessibility compared to other countries where laws are stricter and it can be more complicated to access these techniques, especially for single women and female couples.
When same-sex marriage was approved in Spain in 2010, the ROPA Method (or Reciprocal IVF) was legalised, which, like Artificial Insemination and In Vitro Fertilisation techniques, is an option for new family models to progress.
What are the requirements to become mums?
The main requirement for both women to be legal mothers in Spain is that they must be married, as stated in article 44.5 of the Civil Registry Law. However, in order to undergo fertility treatment it is not always mandatory, as is the case with Artificial Insemination or IVF.
However, if the women are going to become mothers through the ROPA Method, marriage will be necessary, as one of the women will donate the eggs to the other, and if they are not married, this would be in breach of the legislation on the anonymity of gamete donation, which dictates that donor and recipient cannot know each other under any circumstances.
The success rates of the ROPA method are around 40%-60%, depending, as mentioned above, on the fertility status and age of the couple.
Assisted reproduction techniques for becoming mums
As we have mentioned, there are different ways for two women to become mothers. The most common and widely used, as it offers shared motherhood, is the ROPA method (Reciprocal IVF). However, in other cases, AI, IVF or even a subtype of the latter, called Egg Donation, can also be used.
At Tambre we study each case in detail and the different factors that influence the treatments in order to choose the best method for you.
Becoming mums with the ROPA Method
The ROPA Method is the most common method used by lesbians and couples to become mothers. This IVF process, whose acronym stands for ‘couple oocyte reception’, is the only technique for sharing motherhood, one of the women will provide the eggs, being the donor mother, and the other will gestate the baby, becoming the recipient mother. The sperm will come from a donor in our bank.
It is essential that the woman who donates the eggs has a good ovarian reserve, and that the gestational mother is in good health, mainly because of possible risks and complications during pregnancy. However, there are couples who are clear about who wants to adopt each role and our assisted reproduction specialists will carry out all the necessary tests to see if their preferences can be met.
Other ways of becoming mums: Artificial Insemination and In Vitro Fertilisation
If for any reason the ROPA method cannot be carried out, there are other ways to become a mother: Artificial Insemination or In Vitro Fertilisation.
Artificial insemination with donor sperm is a technique that allows spermatozoa from a previously selected sperm bank to be introduced directly into the uterus at the most appropriate moment. In Vitro Fertilisation, on the other hand, allows an egg to be fertilised with a sperm in the laboratory and the resulting embryo to be transferred into the uterus. The difference between a standard IVF treatment and the ROPA Method is that in this case it is the woman herself who provides the eggs and carries the pregnancy.
The key to success at Tambre: inhouse sperm bank and the use of the latest technologies
Many couples are concerned about the selection of the sperm donor to be used in the process of becoming mothers. At Tambre, in addition to more than 40 years of experience, we have our own sperm bank, which was the first to be opened in Madrid and the second in Spain. Our sperm donor selection process is strict, thorough and rigorous, which ensures optimum sperm quality. However, we must always remember that there are no “good” or “bad” donors, only suitable donors.
Tambre’s specialists will choose the most suitable donor according to the genetic and physical characteristics of the recipient, using techniques such as Genetic Matching or Fenomatch.
Do you want to become mums at Tambre?
If you have been thinking about becoming a mother for some time, we at Tambre always recommend that you at least take the initial step of finding out about it. When it comes to having children, age is extremely important and the options available to you may decrease as time goes by. At our clinic we are more than willing to listen to your case and help you fulfil your dream of becoming a mother. We look forward to hearing from you!