How Do LGBTQ Couples Become Parents? How Do LGBTQ Couples Become Parents? Add video to playlist Create Playlist Puberty Add Playlist Diamonds Add Playlist Male Puberty Add Playlist Male Puberty Add Playlist B Add Playlist Consent Add Playlist Lesson 6 – HIV Add Playlist Resource for friends with children pre-puberty to early puberty Add Playlist Puberty Add Playlist Anna and Elizabeth Add Playlist Bailey 1 Add Playlist real help for healthy sex Add Playlist A Add Playlist Gender Identity & Sexual Orientation Add Playlist Mental Health & Body Image Add Playlist Parent Support Add Playlist Puberty & Anatomy Add Playlist Ezra’s Playlist Add Playlist Spring 2021 Add Playlist Geoffrey Add Playlist For juliana Add Playlist AA Add Playlist Health Class Add Playlist Grade 7/8 DL Add Playlist Female Puberty Add Playlist Male Puberty Add Playlist Emotional Changes Add Playlist Charlotte stuff Add Playlist Elliot Add Playlist Alina Add Playlist Health-Period 5 Add Playlist Wesley’s Playlist Add Playlist PFN MD Add Playlist Homework Add Playlist Homework Add Playlist Shade’s Playlist Add Playlist 8th Grade Sexual Readiness Add Playlist Colin’s Health and Phys Ed Playlist 2021 Add Playlist 8th Grade – Consent Add Playlist Layla’s Videos to watch Add Playlist Human body, puberty, menstruation Add Playlist Human body, puberty, menstruation Add Playlist I dunno Add Playlist I dunno Add Playlist Delilah Add Playlist Oliver Add Playlist Male -Physical Development Add Playlist Ömer Add Playlist 6th Grade Gender Reproductive Systems Add Playlist PASCUA LASALLISTA Add Playlist Wolf Add Playlist Puberty Add Playlist Amaze Add Playlist Sex Education part 2 Add Playlist Playlist Amaze Add Playlist Lesson 2 Add Playlist 5th Grade Puberty Talk Add Playlist Annabelle’s Playlist Add Playlist joaquin Add Playlist elif Add Playlist 7th Grade Add Playlist 6th Grade Add Playlist Female Anatomy Add Playlist Decision making Add Playlist Tre 4.5.21 Add Playlist Healthy relationships Add Playlist What I need to know Add Playlist Helpful Things I Need Add Playlist Friendships and relationships Add Playlist Friendships and relationships Add Playlist Media Add Playlist Safety Add Playlist Eli’s Add Playlist 6th Grade Health – Puberty Add Playlist school Add Playlist Daniel Add Playlist Bean Add Playlist 7th Grade Add Playlist Youngest Add Playlist Oldest Add Playlist Gabi’s List Add Playlist protection Add Playlist 7 Add Playlist NM Add Playlist Abraham Add Playlist Scarlett Add Playlist Internet Safety Add Playlist Puberty for Teen Boys Add Playlist Identity Add Playlist Darcy’s Playlist Add Playlist Puberty Add Playlist Ummmmmm Add Playlist Carter Add Playlist Lesson 1 Add Playlist Gender Identity Add Playlist Nyrie Add Playlist STDs & HIV Add Playlist Emily Add Playlist Personal Safety Add Playlist Sexual Orientation Remove Playlist How Do LGBTQ Couples Become Parents? | Classroom Favorite Gay Lesbian Bisexual Love lgbtq family pride pansexual queer asexual babies School Ready This video explains the many different ways LGBTQ+ couples have babies! There are many ways people can have a family, such as adoption, raising step-children, fostering, artificial insemination, surrogacy or other options! Youth You may know that if two people who are not the same sex have unprotected penile-vaginal sex, there is a chance that the joining of a sperm and ovum, or egg, could result in reproduction or making a baby. But how do LGBTQ couples become parents? LGBTQ couples may choose to adopt, become foster parents or parent a stepchild. They might also consider something called artificial or alternative insemination or another procedure called “in vitro fertilization” (IVF). They may also have another person carry a baby for them, which is called surrogacy, or they may choose co-maternity where one partner’s egg is fertilized and implanted into the other partner’s uterus. Couples who are not LGBTQ also use many of these ways of becoming a parent. In the end, what’s important is that there are many different ways that people who want to become parents can become parents. FAQs Are there other ways to make a baby besides penile-vaginal sex? For a pregnancy to form, a sperm and an egg have to join, which typically happens through penile-vaginal sex. However, there are medical procedures that can help a sperm and egg join, such as artificial or alternative insemination and in vitro fertilization (IVF). Once the egg and sperm join, one of the partners with a uterus would carry the pregnancy. In some cases, a person called a “surrogate” would agree to carry the pregnancy. What is artificial insemination? Some people may choose to get pregnant by having sperm—from a partner or sperm donor—placed into the uterus during ovulation. This is called artificial or alternative insemination, and it’s a process that LGBTQ and heterosexual couples may use to start a pregnancy. What is in vitro fertilization (IVF)? During IVF, medical providers use medicines and different medical procedures to help a sperm fertilize an egg outside of the body and to help that fertilized egg then implant in the uterus. IVF has many steps and can take several months. LGBTQ and heterosexual couples may use this process to start a pregnancy. Related Videos Pregnancy and Reproduction Explained Where Do Babies Come From? What Are The Stages Of Pregnancy? Close Close Close Additional Resources Sex, Etc. KidsHealth Parents Young people may hear myths or be curious about how LGBTQ couples become parents. It’s important that parents and educators provide medically accurate information about the different ways—beyond penile-vaginal intercourse—that LGBTQ and heterosexual couples may use to become parents. Some couples may choose to adopt or become foster parents. Until recently, many states in the U.S. would not allow LGBTQ couples to adopt. Partners in a couple may also bring children from a previous relationship that didn’t work out into a blended-family, where partners become stepparents to children from the previous relationship. LGBTQ couples might also consider artificial or alternative insemination, where one partner gets pregnant by having sperm—from a sperm donor—placed into the uterus during ovulation. (This is a process that heterosexual couples may also use to become parents—with sperm provided from one partner or a donor.) In vitro fertilization (IVF) is another procedure couples might use to become pregnant. During this process, which may take several months, health care providers use medicines and different medical procedures to help a sperm fertilize an egg outside of the body and to help that fertilized egg then implant in the uterus. A lesbian couple may choose what’s called “reciprocal IVF” or co-maternity where one partner’s egg is fertilized and implanted into another partner. Finally couples may use artificial insemination or IVF to have another person carry a baby for them, which is called surrogacy. Again, these different ways of becoming parents are also used by couples who are not LGBTQ. Educating young people about reproduction and the different ways that people become parents is an important part of having them understand and respect different types of relationships and families. CONVERSATION STARTERS Parents or guardians may choose to bring up the different ways that couples can become parents (beyond vaginal-penile intercourse) when a family member or a character on a TV show becomes a parent through adoption, fostering, alternative insemination, IVF or co-maternity. Below are some ways to start these conversations: If someone you know or a family member is adopting a child or fostering, talk to your child about it “Today I learned that your aunt is going to adopt. It’s pretty exciting! What have you heard about adoption and fostering?” If you’re watching a TV show where a couple uses alternative insemination or IVF, talk to your child about it “Those two really wanted to be parents. What you do know about the different ways that a doctor might help a couple become pregnant?” Educators Young people may hear myths or be curious about how LGBTQ couples become parents. It’s important that parents and educators provide medically accurate information about the different ways—beyond penile-vaginal intercourse—that LGBTQ and heterosexual couples may use to become parents. Some couples may choose to adopt or become foster parents. Until recently, many states in the U.S. would not allow LGBTQ couples to adopt. Partners in a couple may also bring children from a previous relationship that didn’t work out into a blended-family, where partners become stepparents to children from the previous relationship. LGBTQ couples might also consider artificial or alternative insemination, where one partner gets pregnant by having sperm—from a sperm donor—placed into the uterus during ovulation. (This is a process that heterosexual couples may also use to become parents—with sperm provided from one partner or a donor.) In vitro fertilization (IVF) is another procedure couples might use to become pregnant. During this process, which may take several months, health care providers use medicines and different medical procedures to help a sperm fertilize an egg outside of the body and to help that fertilized egg then implant in the uterus. A lesbian couple may choose what’s called “reciprocal IVF” or co-maternity where one partner’s egg is fertilized and implanted into another partner. Finally, couples may use artificial insemination or IVF to have another person carry a baby for them, which is called surrogacy. Again, these different ways of becoming parents are also used by couples who are not LGBTQ. Educating young people about reproduction and the different ways that people become parents is an important part of having them understand and respect different types of relationships and families. Discussion Questions After watching the video with your class, process it using the following discussion questions: According to the video, what are some of the ways LGBTQ people might become parents to children? Why might an LGBTQ couple want to become parents? How are these reasons similar or different the reasons heterosexual couples might want to become parents? If a friend had questions about how LGBTQ couples become parents, what information would you share with them? Books It's So Amazing! A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies Robie H. Harris Sex Is a Funny Word A Book About Bodies, Feelings, and YOU Cory Silverberg Talk to Me First: Everything You Need to Know to Become Your Kids’ "Go-To" Person About Sex Deborah Roffman For Goodness Sex Changing the Way We Talk to Kids About Sexuality, Values, and Health Al Vernacchio