Reciprocal or co-IVF is a type of IVF with ICSI that has been created exclusively for lesbian couples with a desire to start a family. Moreover, both of them can participate actively in the pregnancy—one contributes the egg, while the others carries the baby until birth.
In particular, the treatment is made up of two parts, each woman participating in one:
Woman who contributes the genetic material She undergoes IVF ovarian stimulation and goes through follicular puncture (egg retrieval).
Woman who bears the pregnancy She receives the resulting embryos after fertilization in the lab using donor sperm, and carries the baby until birth.
Both women have to take hormonal medications: woman A for ovarian stimulation, and woman B for endometrial preparation.