Lesbian Couples' Assisted Reproductive Technologies Trajectories in Switzerland and Abroad: Navigating Heteronormative Norms and Healthcare Disparities

Abstract

On July 1, 2022, marriage became legal for same‐gender couples in Switzerland, granting married lesbian couples access to assisted reproductive technologies (ART) and recognition of co‐maternity from birth. Before this change, lesbian couples had to resort to reproductive travel to access ART abroad. Yet, significant barriers remain. Restrictive Swiss regulations continue to prohibit certain technologies, such as egg donation (i.e., reception of oocytes from a partner), even for married couples. Legal constraints are further compounded by financial inequities: Unlike heterosexual couples, lesbian couples are excluded from insurance coverage for ART because they do not meet the medical definition of infertility. Additionally, Swiss childbirth and parenting culture are deeply heteronormative, and healthcare providers - including fertility clinics - are ill‐prepared to welcome lesbian couples. As a result, some couples will continue to turn to reproductive travel, with Swiss health providers involved in their medical care trajectories before and after insemination abroad. Drawing on interviews with Swiss lesbian couples who pursued ART abroad, this article examines their experiences with reproductive travel. How did they access information to select a country and a clinic? And how did they navigate the constraints of reproductive travel alongside work, family, and social obligations? Using a reproductive justice framework, this article analyzes how recent legal changes fall short of ensuring equitable access to parenthood for same‐gender couples. It highlights enduring structural inequalities embedded in ART regulations, which intersect with socio‐economic norms and disparities in access to medical treatment.