Reciprocal IVF (RIVF) is a fertility treatment pathway for same-sex female couples (or pre-transition trans men) who wish to share in the biological process of having a baby together.

In an RIVF cycle (also sometimes referred to as partner-assisted IVF or co-IVF), oocytes (eggs) from one partner are retrieved and fertilized with donor sperm to create embryos. These embryos can subsequently be transferred into the uterus of the other partner.

This allows both partners to personally participate in the same pregnancy, since one partner supplies the eggs to create the embryos, and the other partner carries the resulting pregnancy.

After you and your partner have your initial consultation with your doctor, you will both undergo a full fertility evaluation, then meet again to discuss each of your fertility treatment options together. Once you have evaluated each potential pathway to parenthood, you will decide where you'd like to begin.

This is a personal decision that varies from couple to couple. Some couples start the process with a pre-determined plan about who will undergo IVF (and "donate" their eggs), and who plans to carry the pregnancy.

Others may make the decision based on the results of their fertility testing. For example, one partner may have a higher chance of successfully creating healthy embryos than the other based on age, ovarian reserve (egg quantity), or other factors.

Your fertility specialist should always discuss any potential pros and cons with you and answer your questions before you make a final decision and move forward. 

All in all, a single reciprocal IVF cycle can take anywhere from 2-6 months, depending on the following factors and other potential variables:

• Fertility testing: Portions of the pre-IVF diagnostic work-up are timed to the menstrual cycle, so completing this necessary pre-cycle testing can take a month or two.
• Choosing a donor: It also takes time to complete other parts of the process, like selection of donor sperm and getting insurance authorization for your treatment cycle, if applicable.
• IVF cycle: An actual IVF cycle takes about two weeks, and consists of a series of hormonal injections for ovarian stimulation, followed by an egg retrieval. It takes another 5-7 days to culture the embryos in the laboratory until they can be transferred or frozen.
• Other variables: When embryos are frozen and the transfer to the carrying partner occurs in a separate IVF cycle, this process takes an additional month.
  • If preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) of embryos is desired, this can take 1-2 weeks. Additionally, if there are any issues that need addressing prior to undergoing RIVF (such as polyps that need to be removed surgically), this will add to the length of the process.

Remember: You may need more than one RIVF cycle to achieve a successful pregnancy. If you do end up needing to repeat this process more than once, this can add to your timeline as well.

At Illume Fertility, we are proud to consistently report excellent IVF success rates, which also include our reciprocal IVF cycles. You can view all clinic data in the most recent report from the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART). 

The success rates for RIVF are about the same as for traditional IVF, and primarily depend on the age and ovarian reserve (egg quantity) of the partner who is providing the egg. Couples with no fertility issues typically have an excellent chance of success with RIVF.

Ideal candidates for reciprocal IVF are typically same-sex female couples (or trans male couples) who:

• Both want to be involved in the creation of a pregnancy
• Are open to going through the fertility treatment process
• Are otherwise good medical candidates for IVF and/or pregnancy

Consider your full family-building plan (for all potential future children) at the very start of the process.

Discuss desired family size, pregnancy spacing, and other pertinent details with your partner, and don't hesitate to seek out support from a licensed counselor if you're struggling to make decisions together.

For example, if Partner A is planning to go through IVF and create embryos first, but Partner B wishes to do so in the future for a second child, you may want to purchase additional vials of donor sperm upfront.

This will typically allow you to use the same donor for all pregnancies, meaning your children will share a genetic link.

In addition to our expert physician team and award-winning IVF lab, we offer secure cryopreservation and an on-site surgical suite, simplifying the process.

We also offer elective single embryo transfer (eSET), preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) and holistic support from a full in-house Integrated Fertility & Wellness program to ensure you have the absolute best chances of success.

Due to various factors (including your insurance coverage and choice of fertility clinic), the cost of reciprocal IVF varies widely, and can be anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000 or more.

Note: Traditional IVF and reciprocal IVF typically cost about the same, with the exception of donor sperm and related add-on services. 

Unfortunately, reciprocal IVF is typically not covered by insurance (particularly when a couple has no known fertility issues) and many employers still don't offer fertility coverage.

In many cases, qualifying for medically-assisted fertility treatment coverage requires a clinical diagnosis of "infertility" (typically defined as trying to conceive without success for 6-12 months).

This outdated definition excludes millions of LGBTQ+ couples who need the assistance of a third party (an egg or sperm donor or a gestational surrogate, for example) to grow their family.

Note: As of June 2023, 21 states have passed fertility insurance coverage laws and 14 of those state mandates include IVF coverage. That being said, the archaic definition of infertility above still typically applies - even when a state has mandated coverage.