Lesbian childbearing couples’ dilemmas and decisions

Abstract

In recent years, an increasing number of lesbian women have chosen to bear children. However, for lesbians, there are many obstacles and unique dilemmas during each phase of the childbearing process. Some of these dilemmas include how to conceive, where to find a health care provider who is sensitive to their concerns, and how to inform family members and friends about the pregnancy and elicit their support. Other dilemmas common to all women are where to give birth and how to assimilate new roles into their life and work. This article describes the potential dilemmas of lesbians during childbearing, with the aim of increasing health care providers' awareness of and sensitivity to the perinatal concerns of lesbian women.

Experiences of Preconception, Pregnancy, and New Motherhood for Lesbian Nonbiological Mothers

“…Twenty‐nine of the study participants (83%) were satisfied with their obstetric care whereas the remaining women were disappointed with providers’ uncaring attitudes and lack of knowledge about lesbian health and parenting issues. Similar concerns regarding lesbian biological motherhood were reported by Zeidenstein () and Kenney and Tash ().…”

Lesbian Experiences and Needs During Childbirth: Guidance for Health Care Providers

“…William's Obstetrics (Cunningham et al, 2001), commonly used by obstetrical residents, is markedly void of any cultural competence material. Lesbian mothers appeared to favor receiving care from lesbian gynecologists and midwives (Kenney and Tash, 1992; Smith et al), but they ultimately desired an HCP who was sensitive, open, and nonjudgmental, willing to listen to the concerns of the prospective parents, and avoided the assumption that all childbearing women were heterosexual (Kenney and Tash, 1992).…”

“…Historically, lesbians may have had trouble accessing clinic‐based DI due to both legal and ethical/moral arguments against lesbian insemination, and in one older study, researchers reported four women being refused insemination due to their sexual orientation (Harvey et al, 1989). However, lesbian mothers are becoming more visible, and while a large number of women have concerns over the medicalization of conception and the increasing use of high‐tech options for obstetric care (Wajcman, 1991), research revealed that DI was becoming recognized as the method of choice for most couples when choosing an option to facilitate conception of a child (Kenney & Tash, 1992; Lewin, 1993). Olesker and Walsh (1984) reported that eight out of the nine women interviewed chose conception by coitus, with most of the men involved not being informed about the desire for conception.…”

“…The search for a donor is influenced by the outcome of the couple's decision whether or not to utilize a donor who is known to them or one who is anonymous and what, if any, role the donor will play in the child's life. Kenney and Tash (1992) identified the pros of anonymous DI as being confidentiality, screening of donor sperm for health risks (HIV, etc. ), and a decreased fear of potential coparenting complications.…”

Unconventional conceptions and HIV

“…Self-insem ination (SI) is technically a relatively straightforw ard procedure and m any lesbians prefer SI to clinic insem ination both because it is cheaper and because it is ® rm ly believed that fresh semen is m ore likely to result in pregnancy than frozen. SI has becom e an established part of lesbian culture (Kenney & Tash, 1993). In Britain in the late 1970s and early 1980s, lesb ians form ed SI groups which investigated the practicalities of SI and wrote m anuals to pass on their knowledge to other wo m en (e.g.…”