Many of us take for granted that having children will become a natural outcome of our current relationship. For members of the LGBTQ community—this is not the case. A recent survey conducted by the Family Building Council found that 33% of the LGBTQ respondents over age 55 either had children or were planning to have children. This was a sharp contrast to LGBTQ Millennials—age 18 to 35—for whom 77% are either already parents or planning to have children. Even more encouraging among Millennials, is that there are nearly as many members of the LGBTQ community planning to have children as their non-LGBTQ peers—48% vs 55%. However, the LGBTQ Millennials know that they are going to need some assistance to achieve their family.
The Family Building Survey also revealed among LGBTQ Baby Boomers—those 55 and older—nearly 75% became parents through intercourse. Many of those were children conceived in former relationships and therefore were “blended families.” This was in sharp contrast to Millennials. Among the 18 to 35 year olds, more than half planned to use Assisted Reproductive Technologies, adoption or fostering to meet their family building goals. That amounts to an estimated 3.8 million LGBTQ Millennials considering expanding their families and 2.9 million that are actively doing so.
If you’re among those seeking to become parents, consider the following:
- Learn what options are available rather than simply thinking about the simplest way to initiate a pregnancy
- Consider what your ideal completed family would like before finalizing your plan—it can be very difficult to find the same donor years later if you want a sibling
- Seek out providers in the healthcare community that will serve as your allies and advocates
- As more insurance companies are covering reproductive technologies as a covered benefit—investigate how those options apply to you
Stay informed,
~Robert
Robert Greene, MD, FACOG
Conceptions Reproductive Associates of Colorado
Enhancing Fertility 