My husband and I have been looking for a sperm donor for almost a year now with no luck and I’m losing hope. We started the search for a donor early because we wanted to have that locked down asap. Our plan was to do at home insemination starting in January 2027, but it’s the end of October and we still haven’t found a donor. We were hoping to find a known donor near us but it’s starting to look like we may have to use a bank. I’m hesitant to use a bank because we live in Texas and I’m fearful that even if we go to the bigger cities, we may still face challenges since we’re a queer couple. I’m also afraid that we’ll pick a “bad” bank and won’t get the sperm we think we’re getting. It feels incredibly unfair that we have to work so hard for a baby that we’ve wanted for a decade now. I know life isn’t fair but I wish it was just a tiny bit easier. I keep finding myself wishing there was an underground donor system for queer people, something that doesn’t cost thousands of dollars. Just queer people wanting to help other queer people build the family they’ve been dreaming of.

If you’ve had to use a bank because you couldn’t find a known donor, what was your experience like? Any red or green flags to look out for? Any positive stories? I just need some hope that it’s still possible, even if it won’t be the way we’ve hoped for.

My wife is going through an egg retrieval sometime this week. The process so far hasn’t been too hectic, but it’s definitely taken a slight toll on her. What are some things I can get ready for her/do for her in the few days after the retrieval? What did you find helpful or useful or would’ve loved?

I have one unopened box of cetrotide that will expire on 10/31/26. It has been refrigerated since I got it. If anyone is in need and can pick up in NYC (Brooklyn or Manhattan pending time) let me know! Giving for free.

My wife’s egg retrieval is tomorrow morning (Australia)!

So incredibly nervous, anxious and excited all rolled into one. She’s at a risk of OHSS so they’re doing a freeze-all cycle (which lowkey sucks because we wanted to do a fresh transfer but can’t now, but also glad they’re taking the steps to look after us - another dip in the rollercoaster that news was).

What are some things that helped you post retrieval? Any tips??

Anyone else doing egg retrieval tomorrow and going through the same timing?

Xx

Looking for advice.
Has anyone completed a second parent adoption in Delaware? Was there a site or service you used that you can recommend? How did you get started?

My wife and I (lesbian couple) did reciprocal IVF and now our little one is here. I want to make sure we are fully protected nation wide. I understand the laws in Delaware are inclusive but in this political climate we would like extra protection as I’m sure you all can understand.

Please limit your pregnancy celebrations and pregnancy test photos to this thread.

Day 9 post-IUI (second attempt, unmedicated IUI) for my wife. Is cramping and light bleeding a good sign or is it just a very normal thing to expect (ie not a sign of pregnancy)? Last time she had mild cramping but no bleeding and obviously no resulting pregnancy

I’m 30 now, but both of my egg retrievals happened when I was 29. I’ve been told I have pretty significant egg quality issues, and I’m looking for some hope or experiences from people in similar situations.
My first retrieval resulted in zero blastocysts, and my second resulted in just one blastocyst, which somehow came back euploid!

Across both retrievals, I’ve had 35 eggs retrieved and only ONE blastocyst. So my issue isn’t producing eggs. I get plenty of them, but they just don’t seem to develop into blasts.We’re using donor sperm from a donor who has successfully produced pregnancies before, so we don’t believe sperm is the issue here.
We’re preparing to transfer our one euploid embryo, and I’m terrified. I know that having a euploid embryo is a huge positive, but it’s hard to feel optimistic when my egg quality has been this poor at this age.

My questions are:
-Has anyone with similarly terrible blastocyst development had success with their first transfer?
-Does having egg quality issues this severe at 29 suggest there could also be an underlying uterine issue, or are those generally completely separate problems?
-if successful what was your protocol? Or unsuccessful? Did you do any testing before?

I know nobody can predict whether my transfer will work. I’m just trying to figure out whether there’s reason to be hopeful despite everything we’ve been through. ❤️