Real Talk 1st December 2021 by Denise Curtin

Zoe And Casey Evans Share Their Fertility Story With ReproMed

STELLAR PROMOTION: Making parenting dreams a reality.

Real Life Fertility Stories

No matter your relationship status, each and every one of us has the right to become a parent and we at ReproMed are committed to making these dreams come true for anyone who wants to embark on their parenting journey.

In the case of same sex couples, there are two treatment options available and after consultation with your fertility expert, you will decide on the best course of action.

IUI and Donor Sperm– Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is less invasive than IVF and is usually the first line of treatment offered to a same sex couple.  In IUI, donor sperm are injected directly into the woman’s uterus by way of a narrow catheter where fertilisation then hopefully takes place.  During an IUI treatment, medications are prescribed to promote the development of follicles on the ovaries. This procedure is very quick, and most patients tolerate it extremely well.

IVF/ICSI and Donor Sperm – In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is where the eggs are collected and the high-quality donor sperm is mixed with the eggs, outside of the body, in the lab. Once fertilisation has taken place, the highest quality embryo(s) are replaced back into the uterus. If you are not a suitable candidate for IUI with donor sperm then IVF/ICSI with donor sperm is the treatment of choice for you.

Zoe and Casey Evans’ Story

Zoe and Casey have been together for 7 years and although they wanted to become parents, they didn’t really know what options were available for same sex couples.  The ReproMed Clinic in Kilkenny was brought to their attention and the couple started IUI treatment immediately after meeting their consultant.  Zoe always knew that she would be the one to carry the baby and they discussed choosing their sperm donor. They decided to pick a donor who had a lot of the same traits as Casey and as Zoe says herself, it’s a bit like online shopping!

The couple went ahead and ordered 3 straws from this donor and did their first cycle in February 2019, which sadly failed. Soon after they got married, they went for their next cycle in September 2019 which unfortunately also failed. They had one straw left from their donor and this was their last chance of IUI working for them before having to progress to IVF but the 3rd round of IUI worked and they were on their way to becoming parents! Their little girl Ivy was born last year, and Zoe is currently due her second baby with the same donor sperm in January 2022.

According to Zoe: “The overall process with ReproMed was so brilliant. They were great to deal with, the nurses are amazing, and you build up a nice relationship with these people who are there helping you to do something amazing.”

 

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If you are in a same sex relationship and require a donor or IVF programme to achieve your dreams of creating your family, then we are here to help you. According to Aoife Corley who is the Nurse & Midwife Manager in ReproMed;

“Same sex couples have more choice and access to reproductive services today than even a few years ago.  The usual fertility issues such as age, underlying health and ovarian reserve can still impact on same sex couples.  Various options and paths to parenthood are available and with improvements and advancement in fertility services, overall success rates are improving, and same sex couples will benefit from that as much as heterosexual couples.

We also advise the couple to attend a fertility counsellor to help to tease out any concerns or worries they have.”

For more information, follow ReproMed online, via Instagram @repromed.ireland, or by visiting their website www.repromed.ie

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