Trying to Conceive – Single Mother by Choice

Support to Start a Family as a Single Mother by Choice

If you are considering starting a family as a single woman, Northeastern Reproductive Medicine can provide you with support on the path to motherhood. Creating life as a single mother by choice doesn’t mean you are alone. Our Vermont fertility specialists will stand by you as we empower you with information and listen to your concerns.

The first step is an evaluation, where information from your health history and screening can guide your future decision-making. From there, you can decide if you’re ready to begin family building, or if it’s time to preserve your fertility through egg freezing. We are here to help.

Considering options using donor sperm as a single mother by choice

If you know that you are ready to start a family as a single mother by choice, a sperm donor is needed to fertilize an egg. Single women can choose sperm from an anonymous donor. There are a number of sperm banks across the country where patients can consider donors based on a variety of characteristics, ranging from physical traits and family history to academic achievements, talents and interests.

Generally, there are a few treatment options available to help single women become mothers.

• Intrauterine insemination (IUI) using donor sperm. This is sometimes called artificial insemination. Your doctor will gently insert prepared donor sperm into your uterus using a catheter. This option is usually considered if there are no existing fertility issues.
• In vitro fertilization (IVF) using donor sperm. This is a more advanced fertility treatment that is more complex and involves several steps. IVF can involve fertility medication, egg retrieval from the ovaries, and fertilization by donor sperm in a lab. The fertilized egg (embryo) or eggs (embryos) are then transferred back into the uterus. IVF is usually considered for women with underlying fertility issues.
• Donor egg IVF. If your ovarian reserve (quality and quantity of eggs) is diminished, and you still want to experience pregnancy and birth, our providers and staff have experience with donor egg IVF and are well-equipped to match donors and recipients and navigate the many aspects of third-party reproduction.

Making the choice to preserve your fertility

Perhaps as a single female, you want to wait on family building, but you’re concerned your fertility will decline with age. Freezing your eggs can allow you to proactively preserve your fertility and peace of mind. According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, women in their 30s are about half as fertile as they are in their early 20s, and a woman’s chance of conception declines significantly after age 35.

Our team can ease your concerns for the future with the latest techniques in cryopreservation. The process is like the first steps of IVF – we monitor you carefully and retrieve your eggs. We then use an advanced process known as vitrification, or flash-freezing, to preserve your eggs. They will be safely stored until you are ready to become a single mother by choice or become a mom with a partner.

Learn how our Vermont fertility specialists can make motherhood a reality for single women. Contact us to schedule a consultation.

Resources: https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/infertility/conditioninfo/common