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I am a Single Woman

We will support you with information you need to help you make right decisions.

We will support you with information you need to help you make right decisions.

If you decide to have a child without a partner using donor sperm/donor eggs (gametes) or donor embryos, you may refer to yourself as a solo mother by choice; being one of the increasing number of women who decide to go it alone for many reasons including: fertility issues, not having a partner, domestic uncertainty, closing fertility window, sexuality, and many other reasons.

Information

Understand Your Options

Donor Gametes

Donated sperm may appear to be an obvious choice, but this alone may be ruled out by health issues or the cruel progress of time as the biological clock ticks away. So you may also need to consider the option of a donated embryo, or a donated egg, their cost and other complexities. Some solo mums by choice also require a surrogate.

There are also unregulated sperm donors who donate outside of a fertility clinic or donation organisations in an often informal arrangement. This would usually be done through natural insemination (more commonly known as intercourse), or artificial insemination or AI (more commonly known as the ‘turkey basting’ method). While this practice offers clear benefits such as lower cost, less wait time, possible greater choice, and autonomy, there are also significant risks involved due to less testing; potential STD infections, the possibility of sperm quality being poor, and legal ramifications around parental rights and those of siblings and half-siblings. Consulting a counsellor or a lawyer is highly recommended before considering this method.

Information

Where do I Start?

Making an appointment with a fertility specialist is an excellent first step for a single woman to get the ball rolling. Here, options can be discussed, and recommended fertility testing can be arranged. This may include blood tests, scans, and other investigatory actions deemed necessary.

Once the ball is rolling, counselling sessions may apply as well as a cooling off period after you have made a commitment.

Service

We’re Here to Support You

There are a growing number of single women becoming solo mums by choice. Many are in our online Facebook group, Australian Solo Mothers by Choice. This is one way to create your village. Perhaps you have a supportive family, friends, or people you trust. Building a village not only helps support you through the process of decision making and trying to conceive, it also plants foundations for the help you will need when you become a parent.

Whatever your decision, we can be a part of your village – supporting you all the way, including helping you navigate the inevitable questions from your child as they grow and become increasingly curious about their conception and all the questions that comes with it.

Resources

Stories & Perspectives

Sarah from ARTFam recently sat down with Rhiannon, a donor-conceived adult, who spoke about her upbringing and her thoughts on being donor-conceived which you may find insightful.