You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
HAVING<br />
BABIES<br />
Dr.<br />
Diana Chavkin, is a boardcertified<br />
fertility specialist<br />
who helps people build<br />
families. Having struggled<br />
with her own infertility, sheknows the<br />
value of a compassionate, transparent and<br />
effective medical team. She sees patients<br />
at HRC Fertility in West Los Angeles.<br />
In an interview with <strong>THE</strong> <strong>FIGHT</strong> Dr.<br />
Chavkin talks about fertility options for<br />
<strong>LGBTQ</strong>+ people.<br />
What general points you would<br />
consider most important to know<br />
when considering parenthood as an<br />
<strong>LGBTQ</strong>+ person or couple?<br />
It’s important to think about having a<br />
child as early as possible since fertility<br />
declines with age. Anyone considering<br />
taking hormones to alter their voice or<br />
appearance should consider the impact<br />
that it might have on their fertility and so<br />
should consider early fertility preservation<br />
in the form of either sperm freezing, egg<br />
freezing or embryo freezing.<br />
If an assigned male person is going to<br />
take estrogen that may alter their sperm<br />
production, freezing sperm in advance<br />
would be wise.<br />
Same goes for testosterone for an<br />
assigned female person. This will likely<br />
impair their ability to ovulate, so preserving<br />
fertility with egg freezing would be wise.<br />
Be your own advocate. Don’t wait for a<br />
referral. And make sure you are comfortable<br />
first and foremost with your doctor…at<br />
my office I make sure to see my<br />
patients every time they come in. For all<br />
patients this is an emotional journey.<br />
HRC Fertility’s Dr. Diana Chaikin on<br />
fertility options for <strong>LGBTQ</strong>+ people.<br />
BY GREY CROUCH<br />
DR. DIANA<br />
CHAVKIN,<br />
HRC FERTILITY<br />
There have been vast advancements<br />
in the field of conception options for<br />
HIV+ individuals. Could you explain<br />
the risks and precautions for IVF and<br />
other birthing methods as a seroconverted<br />
parent?<br />
HIV can affect hormone production like<br />
estrogen and progesterone which can<br />
sometimes affect one’s ability to become<br />
pregnant particularly if CD4 counts are low.<br />
CD4 cells (also known as CD4+ T cells)<br />
are white blood cells that fight infection. ...<br />
As HIV infection progresses, the number<br />
of these cells declines. When the CD4<br />
count drops below 200, a person is diagnosed<br />
with AIDS. A normal range for CD4<br />
cells is about 500-1,500.<br />
Risks are, of course, related to the concern<br />
for possible infection of a child. This<br />
is actually mostly theoretical however<br />
since the risks are very low as long as the<br />
viral load is low and a person is compliant<br />
with their medications. There are also<br />
precautions taken in the IVF laboratory for<br />
HIV + patients.<br />
However, due to the potential increased<br />
fertility issues that may ensue, it’s important<br />
to think about fertility perhaps earlier<br />
than they might otherwise.”<br />
Where do you see the future in research<br />
and availability for <strong>LGBTQ</strong>+<br />
people exploring the option to<br />
HAVE A CHILD? Is there anything<br />
we haven’t asked that you would<br />
like to share?<br />
Reciprocal IVF is very common for<br />
same-sex women interested in playing<br />
a part in the conceiving process. This is<br />
where one woman has her eggs retrieved<br />
and is the genetic mother. But then the<br />
embryo that is created is transferred to<br />
the other woman who carries the child.<br />
Donor sperm could be used in that case.<br />
There is also extensive research on trying<br />
to retrieve eggs from tissue that would<br />
allow us to get hundreds or thousands of<br />
eggs from a piece of tissue rather than<br />
having to do an egg harvest.<br />
All of the technology, all the education,<br />
all the advancements that we have are to<br />
help people become parents if they want<br />
to. To not make it accessible to a group of<br />
people who absolutely need our help in<br />
the process, seems crazy to me.<br />
For more information, visit Dr. Chavkin’s next<br />
free seminar: Thursday, September 26, <strong>2019</strong><br />
6:30pm–8:00pm, at HRC West LA, 11500 West<br />
Olympic Boulevard, Suite 504, West Los<br />
Angeles, CA 90064.<br />
28 <strong>THE</strong> <strong>FIGHT</strong> | www.thefightmag.com