30 September 2021

Lauren and Lisa’s Same-Sex Fertility Journey with the LWC Shared Motherhood Programme

The process of egg sharing amongst same-sex female couples sees one partner’s eggs being used to impregnate the other – resulting in the egg provider being the biological parent and the person carrying the baby being the gestational parent. Lauren and Lisa describe how this process helped them start their family.

Our journey started in October 2019 when we had an initial consultation at the Cardiff clinic with Dr Thackare. We knew going into the appointment that shared motherhood was something that we were interested in as it would allow us both to feel like we were biologically our baby’s parents, so we were really pleased to find that she was extremely knowledgeable about the programme and confirmed that this was the right choice for us. I was going to be carrying our baby, which was going to be made up of both Lisa’s egg as well as sperm from London Sperm Bank.

Our first consultation with Dr Thackare revealed that Lisa had polycystic ovarian syndrome, something that we didn’t know prior to starting our shared motherhood journey. As well as this, my hormone levels were also much lower than normal. However, Dr Thackare assured us that this shouldn’t be a challenge and that we should be able to undergo the IVF process with no worries.

Beginning the shared motherhood journey, we both felt equally as invested in creating our family right from the start. Our individual treatments were happening at the same time, so whilst Lisa was preparing herself for egg collection, I was preparing myself for the embryo transfer. These few weeks of preparation and treatment immediately brought us closer together as we could each understand what the other was going through, something that not a lot of other couples get to experience.

Shared motherhood was something that we were interested in as it would allow us both to feel like we were biologically our baby’s parents.

At the first scan, we were told that Lisa had 28 eggs and was at risk of ovarian hyperstimulation. The clinic was extremely helpful with this though and told us that she would need to eat lots of protein and drink as many isotonic drinks as possible. They also gave her some more medication to take a few days later as they were concerned that her follicles weren’t growing as much as they should. This was a little concerning for us, but the clinic did their very best to ease our worries which we appreciated.

A few weeks later when it came to the actual egg collection, they were able to collect 21 eggs! This was great news, and we went into the embryo transfer with a really positive attitude.

However, it wasn’t a smooth journey moving forward. Following the embryo transfer, I experienced some cramping that meant I wasn’t able to sleep very well. We were a little worried, and even when we took our home pregnancy test and saw that it was positive, we still had our doubts. A few nights after this I woke up to find that I was bleeding slightly, which made us both feel much more nervous and uneasy. This went on for a few days and really upset us both as we were concerned that we were going to lose our baby.

At our 5-week point, we went to the clinic for a scan because the bleeding hadn’t stopped and they wanted to double-check that all was okay. The scan revealed an internal sac and a gestational sac, but no embryo. This was really upsetting to us, but the clinic told us not to give up hope. We had to come back for our 7-week scan and they would be able to tell us more.

The next two weeks were extremely nerve-wracking, and despite hoping for the best, we were also preparing ourselves for the worst. Thankfully, when we reached our 7-week scan, they were able to see a heartbeat! We were overjoyed to hear this and we were discharged from the clinic. The following months were a rollercoaster – I struggled with really bad nausea throughout my pregnancy, and even caught Covid-19 at one point, so it definitely wasn’t the easiest 9 months.

However, it was all worth it when a few months later, our son Rory was born!

Despite all the stress and concerns, and the difficulties we experienced, we would do it all again in a heartbeat because it gave us our beautiful son. Being able to start our family thanks to the shared motherhood process meant that myself and Lisa felt like equals in the journey, and London Women’s Clinic made sure to support us every step of the way. Neither one of us feels more attached or more entitled to our son – we know that Lisa gave him the DNA, and I gave him the blood to create him – and it truly brought us closer together as a family.

In the future, we’ll be looking to see if we can give Rory a sibling and we will definitely be going through the same shared motherhood process again. It really is amazing and we couldn’t be more grateful to London Women’s Clinic for everything they did for us.

If you are a same-sex couple looking to start your family, please contact a friendly member of our enquiries team on 02075634309 to find out more.

London Women's Clinic and our medical team have been carrying out research into Shared Motherhood programmes and the success they bring. For more information about intra-partner egg donation and our research, click here.

All of our blog posts are written, edited, or produced by the London Women's Clinic Content Team. This is a collaboration between our expert writers, health editors, and the leading researchers and senior doctors at our Harley Street clinic.

‘We have two beautiful children - our family wouldn't exist without LWC Brentwood. Can't recommend them highly enough; IVF is an emotional rollercoaster regardless of your journey and we were supported at every step. Pricing is transparent and easy to understand, with payment plans available that made accessing any treatment and medication very flexible and affordable. The clinic became such a part of our lives for that short time, the care and support is so important and LWC Brentwood were brilliant. Maybe we will see them again for number 3!’

Victoria Hayman

10 November 2026, LWC Brentwood

‘I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the entire team for supporting me throughout my IVF journey. I am delighted to share that I had a positive pregnancy test following my very first IVF cycle fresh embryo transfer, and I am now 9 weeks pregnant! The staff at the LWC Colchester satellite clinic are very supportive, approachable and always do their best to help you at every stage of the journey. I would definitely recommend LWC Colchester to anyone considering fertility treatment. A special thank you to Dr Timea Kovats, a highly experienced, knowledgeable and to the wonderful staff Jackie, Annette, Tracey. Their excellent guidance, expertise, care and supportive approach played a significant role in making my first IVF cycle successful. I am truly grateful for their dedication, encouragement and support throughout this journey. I am equally grateful to all the staff at Colchester satellite clinic and the London main clinic for their care and support throughout the entire process. Thank you once again for helping us achieve such a special milestone in our lives. We will always be grateful for your support! ❤️’

jigu

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‘Friendly, experienced and professional team. Supported throughout the entire process and would highly recommend.’

Mizzee West

10 November 2026, LWC Brighton

‘The nursing team are so friendly and so supportive. Made everything so much better and easier to go through egg freezing.’

Megan Godber

10 November 2026, LWC Brighton

‘We had a great experience as the team here are very knowledgeable and caring and they made us feel taken care of throughout! Big shout out to Rute & Trianni for their care and support 😊’

Chiamaka Nelson

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‘The team here are very kind and helpful and made the journey completely painless! They kept us informed throughout the process and were always responsive when we had questioned’

Aruna Nelson

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‘They've given us wonderful service very easy to be around. Very good communication, and very good at helping us out with everything they've done so far.’

Jessica Norman

9 November 2026, LWC Oxford

‘We had a fantastic experience with LWC, Dr Rimington’s passion and expertise were second to none and we strongly believe that he is the reason for our success. All the staff were lovely, helpful and kind - we will definitely use LWC again’

Hannah Hale

9 November 2026, LWC Brighton

‘I honestly cannot recommend this fertility clinic highly enough. From the very beginning, the care, compassion and support we received were absolutely exceptional. Going through fertility treatment is an incredibly emotional journey, with so many ups and downs, but the team made us feel supported, listened to and genuinely cared for every step of the way. Nothing ever felt like too much trouble, and every member of staff we encountered was kind, understanding, professional and reassuring. What really stood out was how personal the experience felt. We never felt like just another number. The team took the time to answer our questions, put our minds at ease and guide us through what can sometimes feel like an overwhelming process. We are incredibly grateful for everything they have done for us and will never forget the part they have played in helping us grow our family. We now have our little miracles, and we couldn't be more thankful. If you're considering fertility treatment, I would wholeheartedly recommend LWC. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping make our dream come true! ❤️’

Emma Hayman

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‘Had a really positive experience visiting the Oxford Clinic. Nurse Manager Liv, took time to make me us feel at ease and explained how the appointment will go. Thank you!’

Kinga Arcana-Jones

7 November 2026, LWC Oxford

‘Everyone my partner and I have interacted with at the Oxford clinic has been warm, friendly and knowledgeable. They’ve really helped make a very daunting process easier to go through and I’m very glad we chose this clinic!’

Jess Palmer

5 November 2026, LWC Oxford

‘Very friendly staff and a lovely inclusive environment, had a wonderful experience here. Highly recommend for anyone looking at fertility preservation.’

T Ilagan

5 November 2026, LWC Oxford

‘As an LGBTQ couple we found LWC Colchester incredibly supportive, no question was too much. They were friendly and welcoming, with modern facilities, and made your journey feel very personalised. We would highly recommend them for your fertility journey.’

Jasmine Colman

5 November 2026, LWC Colchester

‘A massive thank you to Dom and Dr Vasquez for all of their help throughout the process!’

James Purcell

5 November 2026, LWC Tunbridge Wells

‘Me and my husband can’t thank everyone at London Women’s Clinic enough for all the care and support throughout our recent treatment. Everything went really well, and we are so grateful to all the doctors and the entire team for looking after me. A special thank you to Mimi, Dr Barbara, Caroline, Trina and Elena from Embryology team and the Theatre Team - Rose, Martin and Amy F. Everyone was so kind, helpful and reassuring, and it really made a difference. Thank you all for everything. ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️’

IsadelandCyril

4 November 2026, LWC Harley Street

‘I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to the entire team who supported us throughout our IVF treatment. ❤️ A special thank you to Ana-Maria,our nurse, for her kindness, patience, compassion and professionalism. She was always so caring, understanding and supportive, making us feel reassured and comfortable during such an emotional and challenging journey. We would also like to thank Dr Gill from the bottom of our hearts for his professionalism, dedication, expertise and the confidence he gave us throughout the entire process. IVF is not just a medical treatment; it is an emotional journey filled with hope, challenges and many feelings. Having such wonderful people by our side made everything so much easier. Thank you for your care, support and dedication. We truly appreciate everything you have done for us and would wholeheartedly recommend you to anyone beginning their IVF journey. Thank you for being part of our journey! ❤️’

Alexandru Predescu

3 November 2026, LWC Harrow

‘I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to the entire team who supported us throughout our IVF treatment. ❤️ A special thank you to Ana-Maria,our nurse, for her kindness, patience, compassion and professionalism. She was always so caring, understanding and supportive, making us feel reassured and comfortable during such an emotional and challenging journey. We would also like to thank Dr Gill from the bottom of our hearts for his professionalism, dedication, expertise and the confidence he gave us throughout the entire process. IVF is not just a medical treatment; it is an emotional journey filled with hope, challenges and many feelings. Having such wonderful people by our side made everything so much easier. Thank you for your care, support and dedication. We truly appreciate everything you have done for us and would wholeheartedly recommend you to anyone beginning their IVF journey. Thank you for being part of our journey! ❤️’

Mihaela-Clemansa Predescu

3 November 2026, LWC Harrow

‘Simply Brilliant .’

Ramachandran Jeyamohan

3 November 2026, LWC Colchester

‘I feel so blessed and grateful to have been under the lovely nurse Katie and Dr Kovats’s care. Everyone I encountered in the clinic on or off line was friendly, reassuring, thoughtful, and patient with me. I could feel the genuine care from Katie and Dr Kovats. I feel very reassured knowing they'd be there with me every step of the way; it is a great relief to have medical professionals like them on my side. They listened attentively, were reassuring, explained what I need to know thoroughly and were very approachable. Thank you to Carina, the friendly clinic coordinator, for always answering my emails promptly and being so helpful with all the questions I threw at her. Also, to the lovely staff member with blonde hair (I’m so sorry I forgot your name!) who did the ultrasound scan, thank you for being so attentive and making me feel relaxed. The clinic has a calm, relaxing vibe and is very clean. I have had a wonderful experience with the clinic and would highly recommend the team to anyone on their fertility journey!’

T Yang

3 November 2026, LWC Brentwood

‘We have used London Women's Clinic twice in the last two years for successful egg retrieval and two subsequent frozen embryo transfers. We have always been met with care, compassion and a personal approach. Every step from the initial consultation right through to the 7 week scan has been professional and polite, always accommodating our needs and timings. We can't thank the team enough for giving us such support towards creating our family.’

Lucy Richards

2 November 2026, LWC Tunbridge Wells

‘Myself and my husband owe it all to london womens clinic, they were amazing from start to finish. We previously were under another clinic and decided to make the change due to many reasons and we are so glad we did. They treat everyone as individuals, not everyones fertility journeys are the same. The small team at Colchester make it so personable not to mention how amazing all 4 women are that work here, their knowledge empathy and listening skills simply cannot be found at any other clinic. The list goes on as to why I would recommend LWC but everyone likes a to the point review. They genuinely care they dont treat you like a number and they help you through every hurdle that occurs. Our little boy wouldn't be possible without these 4, each of them play a bigger part than they realise. 💙’

Ellen Turrell

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‘Wonderful punch of people, caring, competent, and efficient in all they do. It feels we are all in a mission together and they are invested in the success of our pregnancy. Thank k you 🙏’

Yasmine Mora

30 October 2026, LWC London Bridge

‘I couldn’t speak more highly of the London Women’s Clinic Oxford! From the moment you walk in you are greeted with such a warm welcome. The reception area is bright and welcoming and the receptionist is lovely. All of the staff are so friendly, helpful and polite. Going through this journey can be emotional, so having such a wonderful supportive, caring clinic to visit makes all the difference. Everyone goes above and beyond to make you feel comfortable and looked after. I feel so lucky to have such a lovely team supporting me along the way. Thank you all! 🍀💗’

Louise

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Luciana Lombardi

30 October 2026, LWC Cambridge

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