Counselling and selection of homosexual couples in fertility treatment

Artificial insemination with anonymous donor sperm (AID) is a widespread practice for heterosexual couples in which the male partner appears to be infertile. The Centre for Reproductive Medicine of the Brussels University teaching hospital has been one of the first to extend this form of therapy to lesbian couples. In the course of the past 7 years, 27 lesbian couples have come to the centre with a request for AID. The question of whether children can be brought up within such a frame of reference cannot be dissociated from the question of attitudes towards homosexuality as such. Such attitudes still solicit a whole range of controversial reactions. This paper will deal with the most important findings from investigations thus far carried out on the issue of homosexual parenthood. It also sets out the selection criteria used in the evaluation of applicants. A profile of the homosexual couples selected will be presented, with particular attention to their social status, their psychosexual development and their motivation towards parenthood.