Are you a single woman who wants to be a Mom? You are not alone! More and more women feel empowered to become a parent without a partner. Technology is giving them the opportunity to do so. Society frowned upon single moms before. In the UK, IVF funding at NHS generally applies to couples only.
If you have no idea on how to go about to become a single mom, then this article is for you. We’ll tackle the types of treatment single women can avail of.
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Sperm Donation in IVF for Single Women
You can still have a baby even if you don’t have a partner by using a donor sperm. You can have a known or unknown donor. A known donor is someone you know who chose to donate a semen sample. This is less expensive mainly because you do not need to pay for the sperm. But this comes with some risks, both legal and personal.
An unknown donor donates sperm through a sperm bank and can remain anonymous. The unknown donor does not have legal rights to the child. Most women prefer this to avoid trouble in the future about parental rights. However sperm banks also offer non-anonymous sperm donors.
Once you have a donor sperm, you can use it through several procedures, these include:
- At-Home Insemination;
- IUI; and
- IVF.
At-Home Insemination
This procedure are for women who prefer the comforts of home rather than the doctor’s office. A midwife places the sperm near the cervix using a syringe. A midwife is a woman specialized in pregnancy and childbirth. But before doing any at-home insemination, have a fertility check-up. This will address any issues that may negatively impact your reproductive health.
IUI
With Intrauterine insemination (IUI), a reproductive specialist places sperm into a woman’s uterus. This specialist does this at the time of ovulation while the woman is taking ovulation-stimulating drugs. The specialist uses a soft catheter and syringe and places the sperm directly into the uterus through the cervix. This procedure is quick and lasts for only a few minutes. It has higher chances of success compared to at-home insemination since the sperm is placed closer to the woman’s egg.
IVF
With In Vitro Fertilization or IVF, an IVF specialist doctor injects the sperm directly into your egg. Fertilization between the egg and the sperm takes place in a laboratory. An IVF specialist doctor guides you through an entire process. This includes egg stimulation, egg retrieval, fertilization and transfer of embryo back into your uterus. The process takes approximately 6 weeks. Women do this to overcome fertility issues. If you are under the age of 35, your chances at getting a pregnant jump from 8-15% per cycle with IUI to 50-55% per cycle with IVF.
Egg Freezing
Egg quality and quantity lessen as you grow older. So it is a good idea to freeze your eggs while you’re still at a younger age. If you are not ready to have a family yet, it is wise to freeze your eggs to protect your fertility. Egg Cryopreservation safely freezes, stores and thaws your eggs whenever you need them. The quality and age of your eggs remain the same.
Egg Donation in IVF for Single Women
Single women with fertility and genetic issues can opt for egg donation. You can choose a known donor or an unknown donor. The known donor can be a sister or relative or friend. They must be willing to donate with certain legal boundaries. The specialists’ screens and selects the egg donor carefully. The donor then goes through the whole IVF process. Once the eggs are collected, they are fertilized with donor sperm. The IVF doctor transfers the embryo into your uterus.
Surrogacy
Surrogacy is needed if medically deemed necessary. An IVF specialist doctor transfers the embryo into a surrogate’s uterus, who will carry the baby to term. This can be a better option than adoption for single women who want to be part of the entire process from conception to birth.
Single women at Dunya IVF
As you can see there are many ways a single woman can have a baby without a partner. You just need someone to guide you. At Dunya IVF, licensed IVF specialist doctors can explain the procedures and help you choose the best way. Contact them for a free consultation.
