1×07 Making Babies (Part 1)

We turned to Dr. Guy Ringler, Reproductive Endocrinologist at California Fertility Partners to get an updated overview of the IVF and surrogacy options for gay men from a medical point of view. Are you too old to have kids? How to find the right egg donor? Is IVF becoming less expensive? These and other questions are answered in this episode of Daddy Square. "The cost [of IVF and surrogacy] is actually going up," Dr. Ringler states during the Daddy2 interview. "It's going up because everything gets more expensive, our Petri dishes are more expensive, the technology gets more expensive actually. And there's such a demand for surrogates that the amount that the agencies have to pay the surrogates goes up. So it's gradually increasing. It's not inexpensive, it's something you have to plan for." "I tell my patients it's somewhere between the cost of a really nice car and a small house in the Midwest." Go to the episode page on GaysWithKids.com Dr. Ringler's 5 Steps to Start Your Family: 1. Freeze sperm in Los Angeles Provide a semen sample for freezing and blood for infectious disease and genetic carrier screening. 2. Select Your Egg Donor Find your ideal donor from a diverse group of candidates. 3. Create Embryos For Freezing Embryos are cultured to the blastocyst stage and frozen. They can genetically screened prior to freezing if desired. 4. Select Your Surrogate Choose and meet (in person or via Skype) the surrogate mother that you would like to carry your child. 5. Embryo Transfer Transfer your embryo(s) into the surrogate. Ten days later is the pregnancy test and the beginning of your surrogacy journey. Terms you should be familiar with: IVF - Stands for In Vitro Fertilization. An assisted reproductive technique that is used to treat infertility due to multiple etiologies including tubal disease, male factor, endometriosis and unexpected causes. PGS Test - Preimplantation Genetic Screening. Testing the embryos to determine if they are genetically normal. Egg Freezing - a revolutionary technique that provides fertility options to delay pregnancy. Egg Donation - One of the most important factors effecting the pregnancy rate with IVF is the egg quality which is directly related to the age of the egg provider. IVF using eggs from a young and healthy egg donor provides embryos of optimal quality and pregnancy potential. About Dr. Guy Ringler Dr. Ringler graduated with honors from the University of Michigan before attending the Wayne State University School of Medicine. He trained in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Chicago and completed a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of Pennsylvania. In clinical practice in Los Angeles for over 25 years, he has developed an international reputation for excellence in all aspects of reproductive care, especially third-party reproduction utilizing egg donation and surrogacy. He was one of the world's first physicians to use assisted reproductive technologies to help gay men having children. Dr. Ringler was awarded a Family Building award from the American Fertility Association for his work, and has been named a Super Doctor by Los Angeles Magazine. He has lectured around the world to help educate members of the LGBT community about family-building treatment options. He continues to work and live in Los Angeles with his husband, architect Mark Rios. Episode Credits: Co-Hosts: Yan Dekel, Alex Maghen Guest: Dr. Guy Ringler, Reproductive Endocrinologist at California Fertility Partners Music: Hercules & Love Affair, “Leonora” buy here Articles referred to in this episode: Where to Start If You’re A Gay Couple Wanting to Have Kids (Yan Dekel, Daddy Square blog) Get Ready for Embryos From Two Men or Two Women (Dr. Guy Ringler, Time) Men Having Babies: The 14th Annual NY Men having Babies Surrogacy Seminar & Gay Parenting Expo is coming up November 10-11, 2018 Unsung Heroes: Surrogate Mothers to Same-Sex Couples (Dr. Guy Ringler, The Advocate) A Strip Mall Gay Bar in Detroit Helped Me Come Out (Dr. Guy Ringler, The Advocate)   For any questions, comments or advise, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected] or on Twitter @yanirdekel Daddy Square: The Podcast is a part of GaysWithKids.com