The Road to Fatherhood Using Assisted Reproductive Technology: Decision Making Processes and Experiences Among Gay Male Intended Parents and Gestational Surrogates

Abstract

With the progression of the gay rights movement, including increased legalization of same sex marriage and parenting options through joint adoption and Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), there is support of access to ART regardless of marital status or sexual orientation. As an increasing number of gay men are now seeking biological parenthood through gestational surrogacy, there is limited data on the decision making processes and experiences for gay male couples and their Gestational Surrogates (GS) using ART in order to identify potential needs for programmatic improvement.

Societal pressures and procreative preferences for gay fathers successfully pursuing parenthood through IVF and gestational carriers

“…With respect to ART-related costs, challenges and associated fiscal impacts, gestational surrogacy in the USA continues to be financially prohibitive for many couples. Costs typically vary with geography, ranging from $80,000 to $160,000 per cycle (Ressler et al, 2014;Smietana, 2017). Even couples that earn higher salaries (N$100,000/year) may not have saved enough to pay all treatment costs up front.…”

“…Gay male couples face unique challenges, including exorbitant treatment costs. In the USA, these expenses typically range from US$80,000 to US $160,000 per cycle (Ressler et al, 2014;Smietana, 2017), including expenses for IVF, compensation for oocyte donors and gestational carriers, legal services and insurance. Gay men from the USA may earn slightly more than their heterosexual counterparts, but an extra $2586 per year can only go so far in covering an extra $120,000 in procreative expenses (Carpenter and Eppink, 2017).…”

“…Other research establishes that gay male couples carefully consider fatherhood and family-building, and regard adoption as a less desirable path to parenthood because of a perceived lack of control over the process (Greenfeld and Seli, 2011). While gay men consider different family-building options, most said that genetic relationships with offspring were a primary motivation for pursuing gestational surrogacy (Blake et al, 2016;Ressler et al, 2014).…”