Two rainbow eggs on either side of a white egg

Reciprocal IVF

Dr. Sonja Kristiansen helps lesbian couples avoid having to choose just one partner to have a biological connection to the baby.

Reciprocal IVF allows both women to contribute to the pregnancy, with one partner donating the egg, and the other carrying the baby.

Is reciprocal IVF the right solution for your family?

Making the Dreams of Parenthood a Reality

Our fertility clinic in Houston, TX, is committed to giving all types of families the opportunity to achieve parenthood. Reciprocal IVF is similar to traditional IVF and provides lesbian couples a unique chance to both play a significant part in the pregnancy. We use state-of-the-art technology in all our fertility treatments, including INVOcell, a more affordable alternative to IVF. If you have wanted to start a family but felt discouraged by your reproductive options, you have come to the right place. We are dedicated to giving hopeful couples throughout Houston the life-changing gift of parenthood.

Build Your Family Your Way with Reciprocal IVF

Achieve Your Goal of Parenthood

For lesbian couples, building a family is slightly more complex. However, reciprocal IVF offers the opportunity for hopeful same-sex couples to achieve their goal of having children.

Create a Biological Bond

Using IVF, we can fertilize the egg of one partner and place it into the other's uterus. This process allows each partner to be physically involved in the conception process.

Benefit from Advanced Technology

At Houston Fertility Center, we offer both IVF and INVOcell™ for lesbian couples. With a range of options for LGBTQ family building, Dr. Kristiansen can find the right approach for you.

Take a look at the reciprocal IVF process...

Diagram of reciprocal IVF Diagram of reciprocal IVF

One partner's egg is removed and fertilized before it is transferred to the other partner's uterus.

Turning Infertility into Opportunity

Dr. Kristiansen and the staff of at Houston Fertility Center believe that all couples deserve the opportunity to reach their goals of becoming parents. Nothing makes us happier than seeing the joy on our patient's faces when they find out they are pregnant. We are proud to offer several LGBTQ family building services at our Houston, TX, clinic, including reciprocal IVF or INVOcell for lesbian partners. To schedule a consultation and determine which fertility treatment is right for you, send us a message online or call us at:

(713) 225-5375

Dr. Kristiansen

"My Baby Boy Is Now 1 Month Old!"

1

Meli Rodriguez

2020

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Dr Kristiansen and her staff are amazing! I did invocell and had a great experience. I liked that I always got a staff person on the phone when I called. They are great at returning emails quickly too. You won’t be disappointed. They will take good care of you!

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1

Reyna Alcala

2020

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Personally i had a good experience with my invocell process started meds for 2 weeks in September by october 8 had the transfer and couple days later the positive pregnancy test! My baby boy is now 1 month old and im in love ❤ Thank you so much Dr. K and staff you were all amazing!!

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The Reciprocal IVF Process

Ovarian Stimulation

The partner who acts as the donor will take daily injectable hormone medication. This stimulates her ovaries to produce multiple eggs a month.

Egg Retrieval

The patient is anesthetized and will undergo a procedure to retrieve the eggs. The eggs are carefully removed one at a time and incubated.

Embryo Development

The eggs fertilize with donor sperm to form an embryo and are monitored for growth in a laboratory.

Frozen Embryo Transfer to Partner

The embryo is transferred to the other partner's uterus in a short procedure.

Pregnancy Test

A pregnancy test is taken at Houston Fertility Center to determine if IVF was successful.

Visit Our Modern Fertility Clinic

When you visit Houston Fertility Center, you will be met with a friendly and compassionate staff that cares about your journey. We are committed to providing the highest level of care and using the latest techniques and equipment available.

On-site Facility

By having treatments such as egg retrieval and embryo transfer available on-site, we are able to cut down on overall treatment costs and focus on patient care.

Patient-Centered Care

Our team understands how challenging infertility can be. We are here to support you throughout your IVF or INVOcell journey from start to finish.

A More Affordable Alternative

invocell device
Patients can save around $4000 per cycle with INVOcell.

Understanding the Reciprocal INVOcell Process

One partner will undergo a mild cycle of ovarian stimulation. It is less intensive and more comfortable for patients than IVF.
When the eggs are ready, they are retrieved and combined with sperm in the INVOcell device.
The INVOcell device is placed into the vaginal canal to begin the first stages of embryo growth. This serves as the incubation period.

After five days, the INVOcell device is removed and the healthy embryos are frozen.

The second partner is prepared for a frozen embryo transfer and the healthy embryos are transferred to this partner's uterus for implantation.
A blood test is taken to determine if the partner is pregnant.

"Dr. Kristiansen Changed Our Lives"

1

Winston Blakely

2019

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Dr Kristiansen changed our lives and everything is as it should be. Other doctors told us that it wouldn't happen, but we found success on our first round. We are truly blessed.

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1

Candice Loerch

2019

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The Dr. is great, compassionate and personable. The staff has been on point and always answers questions in a timely and professional manor.

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Sperm Donation

A key decision in your reciprocal IVF/INVOcell experience is whether a sperm specimen from a national bank will be used, or if it will be provided by a known donor, such as a friend or family member. If you choose to use sperm from an anonymous donor, we partner with several exceptional labs, including Fairfax Cryobank and California Cryobank. These labs conduct detailed screenings and follow strict FDA guidelines in order to help patients achieve the best outcomes possible. Once donor sperm is selected, we can begin IVF.

We Offer a Variety of Options

If neither partner is determined to be a good candidate to carry the child due to reproductive health, we can help you find an alternative fertility solution, such as surrogacy. We work with the best surrogate agencies in the country, including Prime Genetics, which conduct intensive screenings to connect hopeful parents with outstanding surrogates. Our team is committed to helping you realize your dreams of parenthood.

Dr. Sonja Kristiansen

Houston Fertility Center

Dr. Sonja Kristiansen is the founder and Medical Director of Houston Fertility Center. She is a board-certified Reproductive Endocrinologist Infertility (REI) specialist who is proud to help hopeful parents fulfill their dreams of having children. Our center is affiliated with the:

  • American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
  • American Society for Reproductive Medicine
  • Texas Medical Association

We provide convenient care for patients from greater Houston and visitors from out of town. For more information about our services, contact our office online or call (713) 225-5375 today.

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