Reciprocal IVF, also known as ROPA, partner egg donation, or Shared Motherhood, is similar to traditional IVF with donor sperm. In Reciprocal IVF, however, one partner provides the egg, while the other partner carries the pregnancy.
Request a free consultation, where our healthcare professionals can help you assess whether Reciprocal IVF is right for you. Taking your medical history, lifestyle, and menstrual cycle into account, we will create a treatment plan that meets your needs and preferences.
Before you proceed, please be aware that according to Danish law, we can only treat women up to their 46th birthday.
What is Reciprocal IVF?
Reciprocal IVF is a fertility treatment for lesbian couples, allowing one partner to provide the egg and the other to carry the pregnancy. The process begins with hormonal stimulation to increase egg production in the partner providing the egg. Eggs are retrieved from the ovaries, fertilised in the laboratory with donor sperm, and, after 5-6 days, hopefully develop into blastocysts. The strongest blastocyst can then be transferred to the partner’s uterus in her next cycle.
At Cryos, only one blastocyst is transferred at a time to minimize health risks associated with multiple pregnancies. Any extra high-quality blastocysts can be frozen for future use.
How much does Reciprocal IVF cost?
The price of one round of Reciprocal IVF is EUR 6,000 (incl. VAT). In addition, there is the cost of donor sperm, which depends on the type of donor you choose.
You can learn more about donor sperm prices here.
Screening tests prior to Reciprocal IVF
Both of you:
- Chlamydia/Gonorrhoea: Both of you must be tested for chlamydia and gonorrhoea and receive treatment if the test results are positive.
- Ultrasound scan: You must also undergo an ultrasound scan carried out before starting treatment. The ultrasound scan can be performed either by your local gynaecologist or at Cryos Clinic.
- Screening for HIV and Hepatitis B and C: You must undergo screening for HIV, Hepatitis B, and C. This is mandatory for the partner providing the eggs and advisable for the partner carrying the pregnancy.
Receiving partner only:
- Cervical smear: You must have undergone a normal pap smear within the previous two years before beginning treatment, or any dysplasia must have been treated before starting fertility treatment.
- Rubella: It is important to confirm immunity to rubella (German Measles) before starting treatment. If your immunity status is unknown, a blood test can determine whether you are immune to rubella.
A guide to Reciprocal IVF at Cryos
Here is a step-by-step guide to the process you go through when receiving Reciprocal IVF at our clinic:
1. Initial consultation
Before planning your Reciprocal IVF at Cryos, you must fill out our online contact request form and get access to our secure online patient system. There, you will be asked to complete a detailed medical history form before attending a free initial consultation with one of our experienced healthcare professionals. Together, we will go through your medical history and the recommended course of treatment. We speak English and Danish.
2. Begin hormone stimulation
If you and the healthcare professional at Cryos determine that you should proceed with Reciprocal IVF, we recommend that you visit our clinic in Aarhus for an ultrasound scan of the partner providing the eggs before we further plan the course of treatment. If you prefer to limit your travel, you may – at your own expense – arrange for ultrasound scans at a clinic closer to home. The hormone stimulation will consist of injections at home.
3. Order donor sperm and treatment
Before proceeding with your treatment, you must find a sperm donor and order donor sperm and the treatment. See our guide on how to order below.
4. Ultrasound scans
After 8-10 days of hormone injections, the partner providing the eggs should have another ultrasound scan to see how she responds to the medicine. Some may need more days of medicine, and some are ready for the ovulation trigger shot, and we can plan the egg retrieval.
5. Egg retrieval
Once the eggs have matured, egg retrieval is performed by a fertility doctor in our clinic.
6. Fertilization
After the eggs have been retrieved, the embryologist prepares the eggs for fertilization in a petri dish. In IVF, sperm from a donor is then placed together with the eggs, hopefully leading to fertilization and embryo development. If using ICSI fertilization, one sperm cell is placed in the egg by the embryologist.
7. Embryo transfer
If one or more embryos have developed sufficiently to a day 5 or 6 blastocyst, a fertility doctor transfers a single blastocyst into the uterus of the partner who will carry the pregnancy. A pregnancy hopefully occurs, and the treatment is successful. If more than one embryo develops sufficiently, the excess embryos can be frozen and stored for another attempt or siblings.
Each time you visit, one of our experienced healthcare professionals will be ready to take you through the procedure you are about to have.
If you prefer to have the embryo transfer performed at a clinic closer to your home, please contact us for more information about this option.
After your Reciprocal IVF treatment
You can return to your everyday life after both egg retrieval and embryo transfer.
You should take a pregnancy blood test two weeks after an embryo transfer to see if the treatment was successful. We know it might be tempting to take an early pregnancy test sooner than that, but some fertility medications may give you a false positive if you test too soon.
If you are pregnant, we offer a free, early pregnancy scan in our clinic in Aarhus about three weeks later (in pregnancy week 7-9). Hopefully, we will be able to detect a pregnancy.
If you do not become pregnant, we will plan the next treatment together with you. Our healthcare professionals will also be able to guide you on other treatment options if the treatment is unsuccessful.
How to order donor sperm for Reciprocal IVF
After your consultation with one of our healthcare professionals - and before your insemination – it is time to select the sperm donor, that feels right for you. At Cryos, you have free access to all our donor profiles in our Donor Search. With over 1,000 donors, you can find the ideal match for your family.
When you are ready, simply follow the steps below to place your order:
- 1. Create a free account.
- 2. Find your donor and select the type and number needed for your treatment. See our recommendations here.
- 3. Choose a shipping date in line with your treatment plan.
- 4. Select the shipping method: Cryos Clinic Aarhus (ICI and shipping) or Cryos Clinic Copenhagen (ICI and shipping), depending on where you are going to have your treatment.
- 5. Confirm your order and proceed to payment.
If you plan more treatments with the same donor in the future, consider making a reservation.
To ensure traceability, Cryos only supplies sperm to authorised clinics in accordance with Danish legislation.
Ready to start your journey?
Are you considering Reciprocal IVF treatment? Book a free and non-binding consultation with our healthcare professionals – we are here to answer all your questions.
Frequently asked questions about Reciprocal IVF
Where can I have Reciprocal IVF?
Reciprocal IVF is allowed in Denmark as of January 1, 2025. You can have Reciprocal IVF at Cryos’ clinic in Aarhus, and if you prefer to limit your travel, you can choose to have your embryo transfer at a clinic closer to home.
What does IVF for lesbians cost?
At Cryos, the cost of IVF for lesbians starts at EUR 6,000 (incl. VAT). This is the price of Reciprocal IVF and does not include the cost of donor sperm.