Options LGBTQ Members Take to Become Parents

Ensuring that LGBTQ+ individuals and couples have the opportunity to become parents is a vital stride toward fostering inclusivity and recognizing their inherent rights. Parenthood transcends sexual orientation and gender identity, and embracing diverse family structures strengthens societal bonds. Offering a spectrum of options empowers LGBTQ+ individuals to fulfill their desires for parenthood while contributing to a more equitable and accepting world. The following article will dive into the options available! 

Adoption and Fostering

In a joint adoption arrangement, both partners concurrently submit a joint petition for the adoption of a child. Such joint adoption initiatives are typically pursued by couples seeking to engage in the adoption process collectively. In situations where joint adoption is not legally permissible, due to restrictions within a jurisdiction that disallow unmarried or same-sex couples from jointly adopting, one member of the couple may pursue an individual adoption of the child. Subsequently, the other partner can initiate the adoption process through a second-parent adoption mechanism, also recognized as co-parent adoption. Second-parent adoption facilitates the legal adoption of a child by a secondary parent without necessitating the forfeiture of parental rights by the primary parent. Additionally, this approach protects the parental rights of the couple, ensuring their continued legal recognition regardless of geographic relocations or travels.

Although adoption is a great solution to solve a couple’s parenting needs and gives a child a forever home, the process takes a long time. Expect the process to take between 12-36 months. Additionally, adoption fee costs can vary depending on the agency, but you can expect to sometimes pay tens of thousands of dollars. 

Donor Insemination & IVF

Insemination procedures can transpire either in clinical healthcare settings, administered by medical professionals, or autonomously at home employing specialized kits and accompanying instructions. A fundamental decision for couples is to designate the recipient of insemination and the prospective pregnancy carrier. Some couples aspire to conceive multiple children, with both partners individually assuming pregnancy responsibilities. Alternatively, “partner-to-partner” insemination may be chosen, entailing in vitro fertilization (IVF) of one partner’s egg, followed by implantation into the other partner’s uterus. This approach fosters dual biological parenthood, albeit at a substantially higher cost compared to in vivo donor insemination. Non-biological parents should consider second-parent adoption, even within marital unions, to establish comprehensive legal parental rights. 

Transgender individuals may bank sperm or eggs pre-transition for donor insemination or IVF. Some procedures during transition can hinder reproduction. Clinicians should engage transgender patients in discussions regarding future reproductive choices and parental aspirations before hormone therapy or surgery. Lastly, expect to spend anywhere between $5,000-$60,000 for this type of process.

Surrogacy 

Traditional surrogacy involves the same person donating eggs and carrying the child, while gestational surrogacy employs a donated and fertilized egg carried by another individual. Both entail rigorous physical, emotional, and psychological assessments, as well as matching processes for intended parents and surrogates. Legal agreements for surrogacy, drafted by qualified legal experts, may not be universally recognized in all states. Costs for surrogacy typically range from $80,000 to $140,000, with compensation for surrogates varying based on factors like pregnancy type, surrogate’s experience, and expenses encompassing lost wages, medical costs, insurance, travel, and medications. I took the time to make this information easier to read, but my sources for all the information can be found right here.