'If we were a straight couple...': Understanding LGBTQ+ family-building experiences in the UK

Imagine wanting to have a child and discovering, at every stage, that the system was not designed with you in mind. This is the reality for many LGBTQ+ people in the UK who seek fertility treatment each year.

Our study explores LGBTQ+ experiences of fertility services in the UK through in-depth interviews with 54 participants: 41 LGBTQ+ fertility service users and 13 clinic staff and LGBTQ+ advocates.

Although fertility treatment is legally available to LGBTQ+ people in the UK, our findings reveal a significant gap between legal access and equitable access. LGBTQ+ people are often left to overcome barriers that heterosexual couples do not face.

For example, lesbian couples are typically required to self-fund six to twelve rounds of intrauterine insemination (IUI) before becoming eligible for NHS-funded IVF. Gay men pursuing surrogacyreceive no NHS support, while many transgender people struggle to access NHS-funded fertility preservation because of long waiting lists and inconsistent local funding decisions.

One participant, Megan, a young trans woman, was denied NHS fertility treatment because of her BMI. As a result, she stopped taking ...