Ten years of the Fertility Center: Unique family stories blossom

Ten years of the Fertility Center: Unique family stories blossom

In 2025, the Fertility Center in Vienna will be celebrating an anniversary: ​​ten years after its founding, the facility has established itself as a contact point for couples who want to have children. again courier reported. The opening came just months after a change in the law allowing same-sex couples to use donor sperm. Since then, over 1,300 couples have been treated, with the number steadily increasing every year. While initially only 50 couples came to the center per year, there are now many more.

The requirements for treatment are the same for queer couples and heterosexual couples, except for the need to use donor sperm. Before insemination, a notarial act is required to clearly regulate the rights and obligations of the donor. The costs of the treatment must be borne privately, although there is the IVF fund, which in certain cases covers up to 70 percent of the costs for four treatment cycles.

Fears and support

The social climate and political developments affect the fears of couples who want to start a family. This is particularly evident among many queer couples, who often come from Vienna or abroad. They are looking for support due to the political situation in their home countries. Kerstin and Sonja, a lesbian couple who contacted the center in 2020, are an example of this. Their daughter Iva was born in 2021, and they emphasize that their families and friends support their desire to have children in many ways.

For Kerstin and Sonja, open communication with their daughter is important. They explain to Iva that she has two mothers and that she might be able to meet her sperm donor when she is 14 years old. Despite their fears of possible teasing at school, the two emphasize the loving upbringing of their daughter.

Reproductive medicine in transition

In the context of advancing reproductive medicine, it is important to also consider the institutions and laws that accompany these developments. Another article from the LMU Clinic emphasizes that many legal regulations, such as the almost 30-year-old Embryo Protection Act, are no longer up to date. This law does not cover the latest developments in reproductive medicine and therefore leads to unnecessary risks for mother and child.

The expert group led by Prof. Dr. Christian Thaler is calling for a new law that also addresses issues such as egg donation for women after cancer treatments and the handling of surplus embryos. Given the increasing diversity of family forms in Austria and worldwide, it is time to adapt the legal framework accordingly.

Ethical dimensions of starting a family

An important topic in reproductive medicine are the ethical questions that arise from new possibilities for starting a family. The Ethics Council comes up with interesting aspects: artificial insemination, the freezing of germ cells and embryos as well as the possibility of sperm donation often decouple biological and social parenthood. These developments raise questions such as the origins and identities of children whose parenthood is not necessarily biological.

The discussion about regulated procedures for the use of surplus embryos after treatments is also relevant. Ethical concerns also often arise around the issues of anonymous child relinquishment and the possible selection of children with special characteristics or the genetic manipulation of embryos.

Overall, it shows that the Vienna Fertility Center not only offers important medical services, but is also active in the burning social and ethical discourse surrounding reproduction and starting a family. The path to family remains full of challenges, but institutions like this play a crucial role in supporting couples on this journey.