Would you say you were ‘socially infertile’? New statistics from Australia have shown that there’s a new trend emerging. ‘Thirtysomething’ women who – no longer prepared to wait for their ‘Mr Right’ – are taking matters into their own hands and using donor sperm to have their baby.
Clinics in Australia have reported large increases in older single women using donor sperm to have a child. And although the increase can, in part, be attributed to rising numbers of female same-sex couples using this method to have a baby of their own, there’s also more heterosexual women choosing to have a family without a partner, leading to the birth of a new term for this group – the ‘socially infertile’. Women who simply haven’t met a partner to have a family with.
Here at Manchester Fertility we offer treatment for single women, and same-sex female couples, who both need to use donor sperm to have children.
We’ve certainly noticed that more women are seeking our help to have a family in this way, and as UK figures show that women are leaving it later and later in life to start a family, it could be that even bigger numbers of women will see donor sperm as a viable option if they decide they can no longer afford to wait to meet the right partner.
Using donor sperm is either done through intrauterine insemination (IUI), where the sperm is inserted directly into the uterus to put it closer to the egg around the time of ovulation, or via IVF.
Pregnancy using donor sperm depends on a number of factors, but one of the most crucial is the quality of your own eggs at the time of treatment. Often, by the time many women have decided to look into using donor sperm, they may already be in their mid to late thirties – which means that in general, egg quality won’t be as good as it once was.
This doesn’t mean you won’t get pregnant, but it’s important to remember that fertility does decline as time goes on. So if you’re already in your 30s, single and want to have a baby, now may be a good time to seriously consider your options.
We’d be happy to talk you through how we can help – simply call us on 0161 300 2737 or why not read our Guide for Single Women, all about our tailored treatment if you want to have a baby using donor sperm.
Last updated: 20th January 2020
