What is the term for an IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) referral for someone with no fertility issues but no partner?

Social Fertility Preservation: IVF for Individuals Without Partners

The term for an IVF referral for someone with no fertility issues but no partner is "elective fertility preservation" or "social fertility preservation." This approach allows individuals without current partners to preserve their fertility potential for future family building.

Understanding Social Fertility Preservation

Social fertility preservation typically involves:

• Oocyte cryopreservation (egg freezing) for women without partners
• Sperm banking for men without partners
• Use of donor sperm (for women) or donor eggs and gestational carrier (for men) when ready to proceed with family building

Indications and Considerations

For Women:

• Preserves fertility potential before age-related decline
• Allows time to find a suitable partner without reproductive pressure
• Provides reproductive autonomy and family planning options
• May be combined with intrauterine insemination (IUI) with donor sperm when ready to conceive 1

For Men:

• Preserves sperm quality before age-related decline
• Requires both donor eggs and a gestational carrier for future family building
• May involve more complex legal and ethical considerations

Medical Approach

1. Initial Evaluation:

   • Fertility assessment to confirm normal reproductive potential
   • Ovarian reserve testing for women (AMH, antral follicle count)
   • Semen analysis for men

2. Treatment Options:

   • For women: ovarian stimulation followed by oocyte retrieval and cryopreservation
   • For women ready to conceive: IUI with donor sperm as first-line treatment before considering IVF 2, 1
   • For men: sperm collection and cryopreservation

3. Future Use:

   • When ready to build a family, frozen gametes can be thawed
   • May require additional ART procedures (IVF, ICSI, embryo transfer)
   • May involve donor gametes and/or gestational carriers

Important Considerations

• Success rates: Dependent on age at preservation, number of oocytes/sperm preserved, and quality of cryopreservation 3
• Timing: Earlier preservation generally yields better outcomes, particularly for women
• Financial aspects: Often not covered by insurance when done for non-medical reasons
• Ethical and legal implications: Varies by jurisdiction regarding use of donor gametes and gestational carriers

Potential Risks and Outcomes

• Pregnancy outcomes: Generally comparable to standard IVF outcomes when controlling for age at preservation 4, 5
• Multiple pregnancy risk: Lower with IUI (9.7% twins, 0.6% triplets) compared to IVF (18.6% twins, 0.6% triplets) when using donor sperm 1
• Long-term considerations: Important to discuss genetic counseling options 2, 5

Social fertility preservation represents an important option for individuals who wish to preserve reproductive potential while awaiting partnership or who plan to pursue single parenthood in the future.