need your help

[Nurse27]

Oh i SOOOOO agree with you Sally(s) !

SA is very conservative towards this sort of thing, and has just been left behind by so many other states - but of course the centrelink law changes apply (cos they don't want to give away money to people)! It is so frustrating that things like that are not all federal !

congrats on your new pregnancy btw! here's hoping this baby cooks a bit longer than your last

[Sally2]

Thanks Kaz, we are hoping for a fully baked take home baby this time too!!

[BandL]

WOW!! Thankyou, all of you. So much info! Where to start??!! lol

Well i have to say, Sally2, i like your advice on the GP's. I have been worried about going to one incase they are anti gay parents... But hey, there is nothing stopping us from getting second & third opinions, is there! We will go thru every doc surgery in Adelaide if we have to!!
So i think that is where we will start. At least then we will know exactly what we can and cant do.

Beth-n-Sara, I Love the "egg mummy/tummy mummy" thing. That is so cute! For our first we plan for me to be the egg mummy, and Larney will carry (as she has done it before (previous relationship) and i am shh** scared. lol), But i will be giving it a go in a couple of years time!

I think you will find in regards to the surrogacy thing it will be much much simpler if you donate your eggs to your partner rather than trying to nut out the legalities of surrogacy.

I am just wondering, Could you explain to me how this works? Does she have to have a medical condition or something wrong with her own eggs for them to allow this? And how does the IUI process work with that?? This might be a stupid question, but can they put someone elses egg in you, unfertilised??



Levi78, Great advice and info, thankyou so much. I had always planned to draw up some sort of agreement with our donor, i am very cautious there. But i hadnt thort about an agreement with my partner... As depressing and horrible it is to think about.. it is a sensible thing to do! We will look into it. So thankyou for the info on the 'Orders by Consent' thing.

As far as carrying the others egg/embryo - we asked the exact same question of our doc, and were told that once an embryo is created it belongs to both parents and we can choose what to do with it - so if we want the other mum to carry it - then it can be done.

Hi Nurse27, i am just wondering, you confirmed that IVF and IUI is only available in SA to medically infertile women... So how can they create an embryo for us?? Isnt that IVF??

So do you have any children yet? Or are you ttc?? Because you are in adelaide aswell i am eager to hear how other adelaide lesbo mums are concieving!!
I am really interested to hear from DrGirl72 as she is also in Adelaide and has 3 children already, and i want to know HOW DID SHE DO IT???? lol


ANYWAY.... Thanks again to all of you.. You have all been so helpful and kind. I look forward to talking to everyone some more.. and hopefully in a years time i too can give some advice to a beginner!

But first things first, and i think that would be to go find a GP who wants to help us!

Thanks again,
B.

[DrGirl72]

Hi BandL, sorry my reply has taken so long and apologies for any typos as am typing one handed with my baby on my lap! I had my first 2 children with my ex DP. She was the biological mum for them both and we conceived them using a known donor, a 3ml syringe and it was a DIY job at home. We were lucky to conceive fair;y quickly both times (3rd go for DS1 and 2nd go for DS2). We did investigate using a clinic but in SA in1996/97 we didnt get very far at all with that! I left my ex DP a bit over 5 years ago and our 2 sons live half time (week about) with each of us (another separate and long story). My DP and I started TTC with a known donor almost 3 years ago (a different donor to DS1 and DS2). After about a year of no BFP we both had some tests, he had some sperm issues and I had a short luteal phase and low progesterone- but it was unclear how this may be affecting fertility. We saw an ob (not FS) and tried clomid with no success. At that point we were referred to repromed. You are correct that in SA you have to be "medically infertile" rather than "socially infertile" to access reproductive technologies. However, the definition of medically infertile can be somewhat subjective and is up to the individual FS. We started IVF (ICSI in fact), still using our known donor and conceived DS3 on our third cycle. He is now almost ten weeks old. It is a complex area and I would be more than happy to chat more with you either on the phone or in person over coffee etc. PM if you'd like to be in touch. Re a good GP, I have some suggestions and also believe that ALMA (Australian Lesbian Medical Association) now keep a register of medical pratitioners recommended by other lesbians. Hope this is helpful... have lots more I could say but one handed typing is not that easy! Good luck on your journey