A LESBIAN couple say they are now an ‘irreversible family unit’ after having a baby thanks to fertility treatment at an Oxford-based clinic.

Jane and Nancy Jordan-Goodman welcomed ten-month-old Joshua to the world last July after Jane received insemination treatment.

The couple were grateful to get advice and guidance from consultants at Oxford Fertility who recommended the right treatment for them.

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Jane, who is 29, said: “They were able to find out what the best treatment was for us and we went with it. Everybody was so welcoming and put us at ease straight away. No question was too silly.”

The couple had previously gone to a clinic in Birmingham but were put off by the lack of attention and support provided.

Jane said: “During our first consultation, it was clear this clinic wasn’t right for us. It felt like an interrogation, we felt like a number and left being unclear on our treatment options.”

Oxford Mail:

Opting for Oxford Fertility, the mother received IUI treatment which involves directly inserting sperm into the uterus when the body is ready to ovulate.

This type of treatment costs around £1,500 to £2,000, making it a cheaper alternative to IVF which costs £5,000 to £6,000 for one cycle.

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IVF is where an egg is removed from the woman’s ovaries and fertilised with sperm in a laboratory before returning to the woman’s womb as an embryo to grow.

Unlike IVF, IUI does not involve the woman taking drugs.

The couple were given advice on European Sperm Banks that they could access to select a sperm donor. These give lots of information about the sperm donor’s skin, hair and eye colour, to hopefully help match the future baby’s visual characteristics with themselves.

Jane said: “Looking at these we were overwhelmed with how much information on each donor you can access.

“It was like looking through a catalogue. We looked to match our dark hair and green eyes, and also wanted a donor who was active, to share our interest in sports.”

Oxford Mail:

The couple could also see any health conditions that the sperm donor or his relatives have.

Despite having a caesarean, Jane said seeing her baby boy for the first time was ‘perfect’ and she is enjoying spending time with him and her wife as an ‘irreversible family unit.’

She said: “Joshua has changed us 100 per cent. We’ve discovered new depths to ourselves we never thought was possible. It’s immeasurable.

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"It’s tiring and hard work and it’s that it is the toughest job in the world being mothers but we’re very lucky to have him.”

A recent report by the government’s fertility watchdog revealed there’s been a huge increase in same-sex couples seeking fertility treatment as they account for around six per cent of people receiving treatment.

Professor Tim Child, medical director at Oxford Fertility said: “Numbers are increasing as people become aware that it’s possible to have children.

"But, although we’ve opened the possibility for gay couples to have children, it doesn’t mean all treatments will work out for everyone.

“It’s becoming widely accepted so we are frequently seeing people asking for information.”