Being a solo mum by choice - the experience of fertility treatment
![Being a solo mum by choice - the experience of fertility treatment Being a solo mum by choice - the experience of fertility treatment](/cms_media/module_img/7281/3640975_5_articlesmall_Kerrie_2bBeattie_2bwith_2bher_2bbaby_2bMax.jpeg)
Kerrie Beattie with baby Max
![Karen Ferguson, SIMS Karen Ferguson, SIMS](https://www.irishexaminer.com/cms_media/module_img/7281/3640552_12_articleinline_Karen_Ferguson_281_29_281_29.jpg)
![Ursula Lynch, Waterstone Clinic. Ursula Lynch, Waterstone Clinic.](https://www.irishexaminer.com/cms_media/module_img/7281/3640549_12_articleinline_Ursula_Lynch_of_Waterstone_Clinic.jpeg)
* Name changed
- Woman attends clinic for initial consultation and fertility assessments. Based on results and ultrasound scan, a treatment plan is discussed and scheduled. When using donor sperm, treatment options are IVF or the simpler IUI.
- In IVF, following egg retrieval, eggs and sperm are combined to allow fertilisation to occur – or, in a process called ICSI, a single sperm is selected and injected into a single egg. For single women, it’s usually the first method because, as Karen Ferguson of Sims IVF says, “the sperm will be of a high quality”.
- Before treatment with donor sperm starts, the woman meets with in-house counsellor for ‘implications counselling’. This session is not an assessment, explains Ursula Lynch of Waterstone Clinic. “It’s a non-judgmental, open-minded conversation to help them prepare emotionally, physically, and logistically for their fertility journey and path to parenthood. It’s a space to discuss potential and actual challenges and their solutions since fertility treatment can sometimes be overwhelming.”
- The woman is guided through the practical side of acquiring donor sperm. “We discuss choosing a donor on the donor sperm databases, the legal framework in Ireland, and the amount of donor sperm the patient would like to purchase,” says Lynch.
- Sperm donor profile will have information on eye/hair colour, height, weight, type of build, race, particularities of appearance (for example, complexion), age, education or occupation, blood type, karyotyping, psychological profile, and infectious screening results.
- Once someone decides to embark on the process, the timeline from start to treatment is approximately three to four months. Once donor sperm arrives at the clinic, they can get started on their treatment and within a few weeks could be having their first pregnancy scans, says Lynch.