The Prelude Network: Overcoming Disparities in Fertility Care

LGBTQ+ families face well-documented disparities in health care of all sorts, including in the areas of reproductive and sexual health, making some queer people reluctant or uneasy about seeking medical assistance – even when they need medical intervention to help them realize their dreams of parenthood.

IVF is an increasingly important option for queer individuals and couples looking to welcome biological children, and prospective parents need not worry about being treated with respect when they come to The Prelude Network for the compassionate guidance and technical expertise they need to build their families. North America's largest and fastest-growing network of fertility clinics, The Prelude Network takes pride – and Pride – in embracing LGBTQ+ families at the Network's 90+ clinics.

"When patients come in our door, one of the big things is that they don't know what to expect," Dr. William Ziegler of the Reproductive Science Center of New Jersey says. "In many cases, they're pretty stressed, and they don't see a light at the end of the tunnel – that goes for any couple.

"But they're here for a reason," Dr. Ziegler notes. "Our job is to provide a light and help guide them to it. Patients are scared that we will not be able to help them and look at the glass as being half empty. Our job is to look at it as being half full, and to tell them that they do have options. That's why they're here."

Whats more, sexual orientation or gender identity of the prospective parent is not the important thing. That they wish to become parents, and helping them realize that wish, is.

That sincere desire to help families of all sorts is a commonality throughout the Network's 90+ clinics. Knowledge being power, Dr. Deborah Ikhena-Abel, a provider at Aspire Fertility Austin – a clinic that declares itself "committed to providing a five-star patient experience every time" – points out that providing an atmosphere of acceptance needs to go hand in hand with providing accurate, complete information.

"A lot of the time we try to just make sure that when they come into the space, it's a welcoming space where we're learning as well," Dr. Ikhena-Abel says, "because I've come to learn that in queer communities, and sometimes also in non-queer communities, there are different ways families are made and created."

With that atmosphere of trust and respect established, "We're able to discuss what the goals are and let them know what their options are," she adds, "because sometimes people will see me and think, 'This is the only way that, as a queer couple, we can move forward with XYZ.' They might not realize, 'Well, actually, there's this option, and there's that option,' and so my role is to let them know what the wide range of possibilities are so that they're better educated to make the best decision for themselves."

Dr. Ziegler agrees, saying, "A lot of times we may see a same-sex couple, and they're just looking for information. They don't know where to turn. They get all stuff that's on the internet, but what's real? What's not real? So, education is our job, and we give them guidance because they don't know where to start. We have them start the race, and whatever we can do to help them finish it, that's great."

One important tool in Dr. Ziegler's arsenal: the simple art of listening.

"We are invading their intimate life," Dr. Ziegler acknowledges of the work fertility providers do, "so you need to make patients feel comfortable in opening up. As you're talking to a patient, whether it's their first visit, or their options consult, about their going through IVF, you have to understand and listen to what they're saying to you.

"I like more of the warm and fuzzy type of talking, instead of it being black and white," Dr. Ziegler adds. "There's plenty of shades of gray."

Claire Bettencourt, a third-party nurse at Pacific Fertility Institute – where the motto is "Success, backed by science" – helps prospective parents coordinate with donors in order to bring together the three essential ingredients for new life: sperm, ova, and a womb.

"I really want to highlight our clinical staff and their awareness around it," Nurse Bettencourt says, referring to conscientious quality of service. "I mean, I think it's something as small as using proper pronouns and giving the acknowledgement of who they are. I have so many friends who have told me about any sort of health care experience where their orientation and their presentation has been dismissed by healthcare providers. Sometimes it's in small subtle ways and it's not always an egregious act, but it still plays such an important role because any time you're receiving health care, that's a vulnerable experience." Foremost in the quest to provide that service, she adds, is an attitude that conveys the message, "I respect you, I see you and I will continue to provide the best care possible."

That message comes across especially loud and clear when the providers, like the queer clients they serve, belong to the LGBTQ+ community.

The first-hand experience of Dr. Allison Bloom of Main Line Fertility in Philadelphia sharpened her interest in helping same-sex couples welcome their own bundle of joy into their lives.

The experience of bringing twins into the world "only furthered my interest in and passion for helping individuals and families, especially in the LGBTQ+ community," Dr. Boom relate, recalling that thanks in part to that joyous experience she choose to pursue a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.

"Being able to help patients successfully achieve their dreams of parenthood is what motivates me the most," Dr. Bloom says. "And, as a member of the LBGTQ+ community, I have a strong passion for helping my community understand their options for parenthood and partner with them to build their family they envision."

Who could better hear, understand, and help guide queer families than a provider who has been through the process?

For Dr. Bloom and all the providers at The Prelude Network, equality is just the beginning. Compassionate listening, deep acceptance, and absolute respect are an innate part of the journey.