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Lesbian couples

Two women

Every year, we help lesbian couples from all over the world become parents. We offer the latest treatment methods in fertility treatment and are today among the leading clinics in Denmark. In Denmark, lesbian women have the right to fertility treatment on an equal footing with heterosexual women.

TFP Stork Fertility opened to help lesbian couples  


TFP Stork Fertility was opened in 1999 by midwife Nina Stork because she wanted to make it possible for single and lesbian women to become mothers at a time when Danish law did not allow doctors to inseminate women who were not married or cohabiting with a man. Nina Stork designed the clinic around the needs she saw as important for a lesbian couple. This resulted in a homely and cosy atmosphere, with private rooms where there is time to rest.   




For our Danish customers who have a referral from their own doctor for fertility treatment, the following applies:   

  • NO waiting time for treatment   

  • LIMITED co-payment for insemination   

  • Self-payment for sperm - This applies in all private clinics, except in the public sector. 

  • IVF co-payment - This applies in all private clinics, except in the public sector, where there is usually a long waiting time.   




The initial interview   


You can have the initial interview here at the clinic or virtually. The conversation is non-binding, and you will be able to ask any questions you have. At the same time, we will delve into your specific situation, previous fertility treatments and any prior tests or appointments.   



This is what you need to prepare for before the initial interview:   



The electronic medical record


Please complete the electronic medical record. As a possible partner will also have to be registered, it is a good idea to fill it in together.   




Tests and investigations 


All women undergoing fertility treatment are required by law to have at least the following tests:   

  • Hepatitis B – HbsAg, Anti-HBc  

  • Hepatitis C – Anti HCV  

  • HIV – Anti-HIV 1+2  



We also want: 

  • Blood tests for TSH and TPO, rubella, chlamydia and AMH  

  • HSN (water scanning): A water scan allows us to check with ultrasound whether the woman has a normal uterus and whether there is free passage through the fallopian tubes. We recommend HSN before insemination.   


What to consider before treatment



Donor sperm   

  

In Denmark, the law allows treatment with open and anonymous donor sperm. We have many years of experience in counselling on donor sperm. You can buy donor sperm from the sperm banks and have it delivered here to be ready for your treatment. Read more about donor sperm and buying donor sperm here.   




Choosing donor sperm



We have great expertise in the whole process of choosing donor sperm. We work closely with the sperm banks, but we have also accrued a lot of experience of the process lesbian couples go through when faced with choosing donor sperm.  

  

We talk to you about choosing a donor. For example, we ask: How much do you want your child to know? And what you want to tell your child and the world? 

5 important questions about having a donor child

Do you want open, anonymous plus or anonymous donor?

It's entirely up to you. Nothing is more right than anything else.  

  

Our advice is that what feels right for you and for your partner will, in the vast majority of cases, also be best for the baby. So, the important thing is to understand the options and make up your mind.  

  

When we ask single women and lesbian couples about their choices, we see that most choose an open donor, especially in Denmark, where there is a lot of openness about different family forms. It is often about women not wanting to restrict the child.  

What will you decide yourself, and what will you leave to the clinic?

One important thing to consider is: What do you want to decide for yourself? For some, it is very important to be in charge of all choices. Some want the donor to have a specific colour of hair or eyes, others are more concerned that the donor has the same values, outlook and interests, while for some, it is not important to have any say at all. However, most people have one or more wishes, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, it is important to stress that we cannot give guarantees. Even if the donor has blue eyes, the clinic can never guarantee that the child will also have blue eyes, etc. 

 

How should you deal with a possible hereditary disease in a donor?

We all have genetic defects. This also applies to a donor. Although he is screened and tested for many diseases, we obviously cannot make guarantees. But in general, the child is better off than most of the children who are born naturally, because the donor is screened and tested.   

Dreaming of more than one child?

We often get the question: "How much donor sperm should I buy?" That's hard to answer, because we can't know. However, you should consider early in the process whether you want your child to have full siblings: 'If all goes well, will you have more than one child? If so, is it important that it is the same donor?" This will obviously determine how much you should buy/reserve at this stage and applies to open, anonymous plus and anonymous donors.  

How will you tell your child that they are a donor conceived child?

What do you actually intend to tell the child? When will you tell them? We recommend that you start thinking about your child's story as soon as you decide to have a donor child. We see that some take it as it comes, some plan something they want to say, while others choose to write a diary from the first thought until they stand with a child in their arms. This can later become a gift for the child.  

  

And don't forget... a donor child has been wanted long before coming into being. It is an option. It is the wish of the parents, and it is the wish of the donor. It is a great gift - also to be told later in life! 

Treatment with donor sperm 

 


You can buy your own donor sperm and choose from several characteristics.   

  

If you order sperm from one of the sperm banks, we will send you an invoice for registration, handling and storage when the sperm is received here. The deposit is valid for 1 year from creation, and you will be able to add up to 10 portions to your deposit a total of 2 times within that year. You will be charged this amount regardless of whether the seed is used immediately. 

Who does the sperm donation come from?


The sperm donations usually come from a sperm bank, in which they are usually stored frozen (cryopreservation).


The sperm donors are very carefully selected by the sperm banks beforehand. For example, they must be

  • Between 18 and 38 years old

  • Completely healthy both physically and mentally – so they must not have any infectious diseases or hereditary illnesses in the family

  • Have an optimal sperm quality as well as a high sperm count

The sperm donors receive compensation for their donations.



What are the options for sperm donation?


If you are having fertility treatment using donor sperm, there are several options available to you: 


  • You can let us choose a donor for you based on your wishes regarding eye colour, hair colour and height. We will do our utmost to accommodate your wishes, but we cannot guarantee anything.

  • You can purchase donor sperm through our clinic based on your wishes regarding eye colour, hair colour and height. You will be guaranteed your wishes, and the sperm will be ready when you come for insemination.

  • You can purchase donor sperm from the sperm banks yourself and choose from different characteristics. We work closely with European Sperm Bank, but you can also order sperm from one of the other sperm banks if you wish.


How to choose your sperm at European Sperm Bank

To be able to select a donor, go to the European Sperm Bank website. We have worked closely with European Sperm Bank for many years, and they ensure a smooth process when you need to be treated with donor sperm.


To start your search for a donor, click on the link below and create a profile by clicking the "Create Free User" button. Once you have created your user, you have full access to European Sperm Bank's selection of sperm donors.

Network for lesbian and donor children


As more and more donor children come into the world through the assistance of TFP a need arose for this group to meet. Since 2006, donor children and their families—generally lesbian and single women—have been able to meet up at the annual Stork Event in Copenhagen, which has attracted large numbers of families from Denmark, Norway, Sweden and other European countries. This creates a wonderful community, and it’s special for the children to meet other children who also have two mothers.

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