Planning to start a family is a big decision regardless of whether or not a woman has MRKH. Becoming a parent is right for some people and not for others. Only you can know what the best decision is for your family.
As a woman with MRKH it is likely that your uterus is underdeveloped so you will not be able to carry a baby. Since you do have normal ovaries, you are able to have a biological child. This involves taking an egg from your ovary and sperm from a male partner or a sperm donor, and fertilizing them in a lab. When the egg fertilizes it becomes an embryo. The embryo is then placed in the uterus of another woman, who is called a gestational carrier. The woman doesn’t have any genetic connection to the embryo; she simply is the carrier until birth. There are a lot of steps in between that involve much coordination by a fertility team. Insurance coverage for this procedure can unfortunately be somewhat complicated. Different insurance companies cover different costs and coverage can vary drastically between states and countries. The procedure itself, as well as paying a gestational carrier, can get very expensive. You’ll need to do your research to find out if surrogacy is legal in your state and also explore what is financially possible for your family. Our “Resources” guide will allow you to compare the surrogacy and adoption laws by state. You should also check with your insurance company to find out what they will cover if you decide to have a child via surrogacy. Be aware that different states mandate insurance coverage for fertility treatments such as IVF. To find out information about the law in your state, click here.
Your options for creating a family include:
- Adoption: Domestic, International, Private, and via public child and family programs
- IVF (In–Vitro Fertilization): with a Gestational Carrier
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