We are so excited to bring you our first offering in the LGBTQ+ fertility space. FOLX is launching our very own expert-led fertility and family-building course. In this four-week series, you will be guided through the fertility options available to you as an LGBTQ+ person or couple looking to start your own family, mainly focused on options available for those families or people looking to carry a pregnancy. This course will be led by FOLX’s Clinical Chief Officer Kate Steinle, MSN, WHNP-BC.
Kate is a Nurse Practitioner who has been working in sexual and reproductive health with a focus on the LGBTQ+ community for over ten years. Through an independent practice for the past eight years, Kate has led hundreds of queer, transgender, and single people through the preconception and conception process and provided at-home inseminations for many of her clients.
We know that it can be challenging to navigate the process of family building and conception as a queer or transgender person. While deciding to create your own family is an exciting and joyous process for many, it can also be daunting to know exactly what your options are.
While fertility treatments such as IVF (in vitro fertilization, where an egg is fertilized outside of the body and then the embryo is implanted in the uterus) and IUI (intrauterine insemination, where sperm is introduced into the uterus through a catheter at the time of ovulation) are becoming more and more popular and available, they are often geared toward helping cisgender heterosexual couples with infertility issues. There is still a huge gap in the fertility space for LGBTQ+ specialized providers.
During this four-week course, you will not only get all your questions about LGBTQ+ fertility and family building answered in a safe and affirming space, but you will also have the opportunity to connect with others who are embarking on similar journeys. You will get the chance to share stories and advice as you navigate the successes and challenges of planning out your conception journey as LGBTQ+ parents-to-be and be able to support each other throughout this process, no matter where you are in your journey.
This four-week educational course will run Wednesday nights from 6-7:30 pm EST starting November 9 on our community platform, INNERSPACE. Here, you’ll be able to connect with other LGBTQ+ people in your cohort to make connections as you learn and grow together. On the platform, you’ll have access to written resources on what’s covered in each session of the course and be able to chat with other members and post questions. We even have a mobile app so you can easily stay up to date with the conversation.
During this series, we will guide you through topics such as
- Overview of conception options including in-vitro fertilization (IVF), reciprocal IVF, intrauterine insemination (IUI), intracervical insemination (ICI), intravaginal insemination (IVI), and more
- How to choose an affirming prenatal provider
- Donor sperm vs. known donor
- At-home conception, including tracking and monitoring your fertility cycles
- Improving fertility
- Legal considerations of LGBTQ+ family building
- And more
With the lack of LGBTQ+ voices and experiences reflected in the family and fertility space, this course will allow you to build community and connection with other people who are going on similar journeys. Our course will walk you through every aspect of LGBTQ+ family building from start to finish from the clinical facts to the genetic materials needed to the legal and financial implications of each conception option, including how much procedures cost and insurance coverage. For those who are wanting to get pregnant at home, the course will also cover how to monitor and track your fertility cycles.
Our comprehensive referral network includes cryopreservation services, groups to help you navigate gestational carrier journeys, sperm banks that can help you build your family, OBGYNs in your area, and top-tier researched and vetted fertility clinics to provide affirming resources for our community. So when you're ready to take the next step in your fertility journey, you won’t have to do it alone. We can help guide you to the options best suited for your personal needs.
Our goal for this course is to provide you with the resources you need to make informed decisions and to find your joy and agency in your LGBTQ+ family-building journey. We can’t wait to welcome you to our FOLX community!
If you are interested in signing up for our LGBTQ+ fertility and family-building course, you can do so here. If you would like to speak directly with a FOLX clinician about fertility and family-building options, schedule a virtual healthcare visit to get all your questions answered or drop us a line at support@folxhealth.com.
