An increasing number of Victorian women are choosing to start a family independently. Thanks to assisted reproductive technology (ART) and donor sperm, it’s possible for women to become parents in the absence of a suitable partner.
Single women have been able to access in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and other fertility treatments in Australia for years now, and there is generally widespread support for doing so.
Attitudes towards single mothers have changed dramatically. Research has shown that children of single parents are well-adjusted and have positive relationships with their parents, just as children raised in two-parent relationships.
There are a number of reasons why a woman may choose to start a family without a partner. Some of these include:
The saying that a woman’s biological clock is ticking regrettably rings true. There’s an age limit where becoming a mother and using your own eggs naturally is no longer a viable option.
Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing what this limit is for each individual – some women struggle with age-related infertility at a younger age than others – but all women can expect it to come into play from their mid-30s onwards.
By the time a woman reaches her late 30s, she must seriously begin to consider the question of “if not now, when?” in regards to starting or extending their family.
The treatment options available will depend on whether or not you are able to use your own eggs.
Some women’s egg reserves are healthy enough to be used at their current age, which enables IUI or IVF to be explored. Other women choose to freeze their eggs when they’re younger, enabling them to carry their own younger egg (via IVF) at a later age.
Single women are also able to conceive using a donor egg and donor sperm or donor embryo (via IVF), even later in life, as it’s the age of the egg and sperm that is most important.
This treatment involves prepared and concentrated sperm being placed inside the uterus using a thin catheter around the time of ovulation. Whether based on your natural menstrual cycle or induced via medications, ovulation will be monitored by your fertility specialist using blood tests and transvaginal ultrasounds. The whole procedure is relatively quick and painless.
This treatment involves eggs being retrieved from the ovaries, fertilised with sperm in the laboratory, and one of the resulting embryos being transferred into the uterus using a thin catheter. Extra embryos are frozen for later use. You’ll be given injections so that you produce multiple eggs, which are then collected through a minor surgical procedure. They can be fertilised through traditional IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), depending on your fertility needs.
If you’re a single woman who would like to start a family, a fertility specialist will be able to walk you through the whole process. Legal advice is also strongly recommended to ensure you understand all parties’ rights and responsibilities.
This is when the recipient knows the identity of their sperm donor. They can be acquaintances or friends who have agreed to donate sperm to help the recipient start a family.
You may choose to use an unknown donor through our sperm donor program. Our sperm donors are assessed and tested thoroughly before being accepted into our program. Non-identifying information will be available (including information like their genetic makeup, hair and eye colour, medical history, hobbies, etc).
If you’ve made the decision to have a baby on your own, please contact us to arrange an appointment with one of our fertility specialists. Here is an overview of the experience:
Single women who conceive a child using donated sperm and assisted reproduction must be aware of the current and future legal obligations.
All sperm donors must consent to the release of identifying details to Create Fertility and State donor registries (if applicable). This includes the donor’s medical and family history, identifying information, assumed gender at birth, and the number of children conceived using their sperm.
Children who are born from donated sperm are legally entitled to know their genetic parents once they turn 18.
If you’ve made the brave decision to embark on the journey to parenthood alone, the team at Create Fertility is here to support you. We work with single women to help them achieve their dreams of having a baby, however that looks for them.
Meet with one of our fertility specialists today to discuss your situation in further detail. Let us create a personalised treatment plan to help you become pregnant.
Enter your email address to keep in touch
359 Blackburn Rd, Mount Waverley VIC 3149
226 Clarendon St, East Melbourne VIC 3002
Suite 3, 72 Gloucester Avenue, Berwick, VIC, 3806
© 2024 Create Fertility Australia Pty Ltd all rights reserved
Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions
Website developed by Media Exchange
