Growing Generations Announces Surrogacy Program for Men with HIV

Growing Generations, the nation’s largest surrogacy agency, has launched a new program that provides surrogacy and egg donation services to men with HIV and allows them to use their own sperm to create biological families.

The new program is made possible due to advances in technology that can test semen for the virus as well as the implementation of recent California legislation enacted in January that provides the opportunity to use semen from someone with HIV for assisted reproduction. The company already has five cases of men with HIV working with egg donors and surrogates, and expects the number to grow as more people become aware of the availability of the service.

“We are pleased that science and legislation have come together to provide a safe and reasonable approach on this issue,” Growing Generations President Gail Taylor said. “As we have been since our founding in 1996, we are committed to assisting individuals who have not always been embraced by the mainstream in creating loving homes for very wanted children. This includes gay men, single parents and now people with HIV.”

Participants in Growing Generations’ new program go through the same process as other clients with the addition of an extensive screening and preparation process for the sperm. Many men with HIV show no material trace of the virus in their semen.

“We have known for many years that with proper medication and care, people with HIV can live long and healthy lives,” Taylor added. “Now, they can also make what is the ultimate life choice for many people and create their own biologically connected family.”