Ep 62: The Legalities of LGBTQ+ Parenting that People Don’t Know About with Gena Jaffe

When Gena Jaffe had a baby using her wife’s egg, she learned that even though the baby was genetically her wife’s, only she, as the woman giving birth, was considered the legal parent. Gena discovered just how much confusion and misinformation is out there concerning the legalities of LGBTQ+ families, even among lawyers. As an entrepreneur and lawyer herself, as well as a mom who has gone through fertility treatments to conceive two children, Gena has a wealth of knowledge on both fertility treatments and the legal implications relating to them. It was this expertise that led her to establish Connecting Rainbows, an organization that helps those in the LGBTQ+ community start, grow, and protect their families by offering legal and fertility resources. Today on Fertility Forward, Gena sheds light on some of the confusion around what the law actually says about LGBTQ+ families. Hear about what second-parent adoption is and why you may need to do it, the importance of having a will, and things you need to know before using a sperm donor. She also shares her advice and encouragement for anyone starting out on their own fertility journey, so be sure to tune in today!