How can donor insemination help you start or expand your family? This talk demystifies the IUI process step by step, with real stories and expert insights applicable to LGBTQIA+ parents. Follow the typical timelines and the patient journey and hear practical tips from leading fertility specialists. You’ll also hear a moving success story from the community, offering a first-hand glimpse of the joys and challenges of building a family through donor insemination.
Donor insemination is a well tried and tested fertility treatment in Britain, with almost 30,000 babies born since 1991. It’s a first-line treatment for fertility which is easy and affordable.
How do you find the right sperm donor? Here, you can explore London Sperm Bank’s own selection process, designed to recognise the values and needs of LGBTQIA+ couples and individuals. LSB’s UK-sourced donors are vetted for health, personality and inclusivity, so clients can feel confident of their treatment and the high quality of sperm samples
LSB now supplies sperm to more than 80% of licensed UK centres, with consistently high success rates. Other licensed UK centres reach out to us via an easy software LSB Portal that enhances the selection process and strictly monitors the 10 family limit enshrined in the UK law.
Preserving your fertility and keeping your options open. This session offers a clear look at egg freezing and how it can be a game-changer for LGBTQIA+ people. Egg-freezing is Britain’s fastest- growing fertility treatment and can fit into a range of family-building pathways, but key to them all is the control it offers over your reproductive future; the big decisions are left to you.
LWC now operates the UK’s largest egg freezing programme, with numerous studies revealing high success rates and patterns of use comparable with any throughout the world. The security of the samples for up to 55 years as enshrined in the UK law is provided through a very secure storage and tracing laboratory.
Now, there’s an IVF option which combines the very best success rates with affordability. It’s called Kind iVF and it’s already offering greater access to this core fertility treatment, and greater appeal. This session explains how Kind iVF works and why it’s rapidly become a leading choice among LGBTQIA+ people considering parenthood.
Records already show how Kind iVF combines high quality care with minimal cost, a reaffirmation of LWC’s continuing mission of access and affordability. Most people expressing an interest in Kind iVF are eligible for treatment, and once under way can look forward to success rates among the best in the world.
The concept and achievements of shared biological parenthood have revolutionised fertility treatment for same-sex female couples, giving each partner the chance to share a biological bond with their child. This lively session explains how the concept of shared motherhood works – for the partner providing the egg and the partner carrying the pregnancy.
There will be details from real couples who’ve made the journey themselves, and from academic collaborators with news on research developments. This session will answer all your questions about shared motherhood and why it’s been such a popular choice over the past ten years.
Surrogacy can feel like a complicated process, but it doesn’t have to be daunting or cloaked in mystery. In this candid session, experts consider everything from legal guidelines to the practicalities of working with egg banks. Here, you’ll learn how regulated surrogacy actually works, where to find support, and what to expect along the way.
There are over 35,000 births each year globally, but most are in unregulated territories and without the oversight which gives surrogacy in the UK its greater clarity and transparency. LWC’s experience in surrogacy goes back many years, with several published studies documenting its progress and showing how 400 treatments have led to 147 births and many happy families. Surrogacy treatments at LWC are already equally divided between heterosexual and same-sex couples.
9.00am - Doors open
Doors open for visitors. Light refreshments available.
9.45am - Welcome address
Welcome from Professor Nick Macklon, LWC Medical Director & Anya Sizer, Fertility Patient Advocate and Chair of Organising Committee
9:50am - DIVA Magazine keynote
Keynote Address
10.00am Inseminar
Donor sperm without IVF
How can donor insemination help you make your family? Hear real stories about intra-uterine insemination (IUI), alongside a step-by-step breakdown of the process, and expert insights for LGBTQIA+ parents.
Donor insemination is an easy, affordable, and less invasive fertility treatment, with almost 30,000 babies born since 1991.
Our talk is led by Elena Linara-Demakakou, author of the largest UK study into IUI treatment and expert in the field, and Hannah Stobbart, a senior fertility nurse who carries out IUI procedures daily and is great at supporting patients.
Speakers:
Elena Linara-Demakakou. Elena is the Head of Embryology at LWC, with 18 years of experience in reproductive medicine. She is the author of the UK’s biggest-ever study on IUI, a Diplomate of the Royal College of Pathologists, and a member of ARCS and ESHRE.
Hannah Stobbart. Hannah is a Senior Fertility Nurse at LWC. She performs donor insemination on a daily basis, with 10 years of nursing experience and a passion for inclusive care for LGBTQIA+ patients.
11.00am Finding your donor match
London Sperm Bank’s approach
How do you find the right sperm donor? This talk outlines London Sperm Bank’s rigorous and inclusive approach, and explains how our selection process foregrounds the needs of LGBTQIA+ couples and individuals.
Speakers:
Nicole Nel. After many years at the helm of London Sperm Bank, Nicole is now Director of Operations (LWC South). She is committed to providing high-quality donors and adhering to strict regulatory standards, and is passionate about enhancing donor services on the South Coast.
Hayley King.
Hayley King is an advocate and educator for donor-conceived families and the Head of Operations at Paths to Parenthub, an online support platform for parents building their families through donor conception.
As a donor-conceived adult and mum of twins in an LGBTQ+ family, she brings a unique and balanced perspective to the complexities of donor conception. Through her work, Hayley provides information, resources, and a supportive community for all those navigating this journey.
Refreshment break
Light refreshments are available throughout.
12:30pm Egg freezing explained
Preserving your fertility for the future
How can you keep your reproductive options open? This session offers a clear look at egg freezing, and how it can be a game-changer for many LGBTQIA+ people. Egg freezing is the UK’s fastest-growing fertility treatment, and can fit into a wide range of family-building pathways, on the timeline that works for you.
Speakers:
Egle Kancleryte. Egle is Head of the LWC Elective Egg Freezing Programme, the only dedicated egg-freezing clinical unit in the UK. She has a strong interest in reproductive rights, equality, and the fascinating world of science, and prioritises exceptional care, informed decision-making, and expert-led, personalised treatment.
Dr Barbara Manukian. Dr Manukian is a consultant at LWC Harley Street, and is widely recognised for her commitment and passion for supporting LGBTQ+ individuals in their family-making journeys. She has a Master’s degree from LSE, with a research focus on egg freezing in the LGBTQIA+ community.
1:30pm IVF that’s Kind to you and your pocket
Affordable, high-success fertility with Kind iVF
Kind iVF offers affordable treatment with outstanding success rates: up to 20% above national average clinical pregnancy rates. This session explains how Kind iVF works, and why it’s becoming a key option for many couples and individuals, including many looking to use a sperm donor.
Speakers:
Diane Casha. Diane is the Director of Clinical Services for Bromley and Canterbury, encompassing Kind iVF and London Women’s Clinic. She has over three decades of nursing and midwifery experience, and, with a longstanding passion for increasing access to affordable treatment, was instrumental in the development of Kind iVF.
Jemma Garratt. Jemma is the Data and Insights Analyst at Kind iVF and LWC. She has a Master’s degree in clinical embryology from the University of Oxford, and is a candidate for a PhD at the University of Kent. She is a key voice in the field of optimising live birth rates in fertility treatment, and analyses large clinical datasets to improve IVF protocols and clinical care.
Refreshment break
Light refreshments are available throughout.
3.00pm Her bun in my oven
Shared biological parenthood through reciprocal IVF
London Women’s Clinic pioneered the practice of ‘shared motherhood’, used primarily by same-sex female couples. By having one partner provide the egg, and having the other partner carry the pregnancy, both parents share a biological bond with the child. This session will contain information on how the process works, stories from couples who’ve experienced it themselves, and insights from key researchers in the field.
Speakers:
Anya Sizer. Anya is a passionate advocate for fertility, a board member for the HFEA, and former Patient Care Lead at LWC, and a fertility coach, with nearly two decades of experience in the sector. As a local councillor and champion for multiple civil society organisations, she regularly speaks on IVF justice in Parliament and for national media.
Dr Barbara Manukian. Dr Manukian is a consultant at LWC Harley Street, and is widely recognised for her commitment and passion for supporting LGBTQ+ individuals in their family-making journeys. She has a Master’s degree from LSE, with a research focus on egg freezing in the LGBTQIA+ community.
4.00pm - Surrogacy 101
Personal journeys, clinical insights & legal know-how
Surrogacy can feel like a complicated process, but it doesn’t have to be daunting or cloaked in mystery. In this panel, personal experience, clinical insights, and legal expertise from leaders in each field meet to clearly sketch out the process. You’ll also hear a clear comparison of UK-based surrogacy with overseas treatment, with an outline of the oversight, transparency, and long-term experience found at LWC.
Speakers:
Mimi Arian-Schad. Mimi is LWC’s Director of Nursing. Trained at Guy’s Hospital, and with over 20 years at the clinic, she spearheaded the LWC surrogacy programme, and is qualified as an operating theatre and fertility nurse specialist.
Dr Priti Jain Maheshwari. Dr Maheshwari is an LWC consultant in reproductive medicine with over a decade of experience. She has acquired extensive experience in all aspects of fertility services, including ovarian stimulation for IVF/ICSI using own gametes or donor gametes, fertility preservation, egg donation and pre-implantation genetic testing.
Professor Kirstey Horsey. Professor Horsey is a leading legal academic with a focus on laws regarding surrogacy. She has worked with multiple organisations to facilitate and encourage legal reform, has been involved in the drafting of national surrogacy legislation, and has further legal interests across the fields of fertility and legal parenthood.
Jake and Hannah Graf. Jake and Hannah were named the UK’s most influential LGBTQ couple in 2018’s Independent Pride Power List and have become something of an inspiration to the international trans community, seizing every opportunity to increase acceptance and understanding of the transgender experience.
In April 2020, they welcomed their first child Millie into the world, and couldn’t be happier. They have become role models to many within the trans and LGB communities, instilling hope that the dream of family life is open to all.
5:00pm - Event closes
Event comes to a close at 5pm.
You can view further information on all of the events above on our downloadable guide, linked here.
