Your conception, your way
Making dreams come true one family at a time
Centering LGBTQ+ and Solo Parent Families
Fertility Care and IUI
No matter if you are at the very beginning of your family building process, you're a veteran inseminator, or somewhere in between, we've got you! We work with families across the US and Canada, providing top notch fertility care and expert insight for those building family through pregnancy.
We are gender-affirming, trauma-informed, anti-racist, and health-at-every-size oriented. More than thirty years ago, we were the first midwifery practice to specialize in "alternative" family building; we created the concept of Midwifery Management of Therapeutic Donor Insemination; and we continue to be the foremost leader in this growing field today. Let our decades of clinical experience and current, evidence-based methods guide you towards preparing for pregnancy, navigating the donor insemination process, and conceiving in the way that is right for you.
Benefit from the wisdom of our experience
Family Building Consultations
Family Building Consultations are provided for a variety of non-clinical needs. Many families start with a Family Building Consultation to get an overview of the conception process, create a timeline, and discuss options for donor selection. We can assist with formulating your family vision, exploring co-parenting, or clarifying your decision to become a parent. We’re also available to talk with prospective known donors about what to expect and what it is like to be a donor. Future transgender parents are encouraged to meet with us for assistance integrating family-building goals with plans for hormonal or surgical transition. Others use the Family Building Consultation to receive additional counseling and decision-making support along the way.
Individualized care when you need it most
Fertility Care for Every Body
Whether you live in Seattle or you are accessing care from far away, clinical care begins with the Initial Fertility Visit, including a thorough health history, orders for blood work at your local lab, and a comprehensive plan for supporting your fertility and preparing for pregnancy. We will also help you get the information you need to time your conception attempts in sync with your body’s ovulation pattern, which can vary from person to person. Whether you will be doing IUI in Seattle with us, conceiving on your own, or you are seeking concurrent care alongside what is provided at your local clinic, the Initial Fertility Visit is the way to get started. Questions? Visit our FAQ or schedule a Meet the Midwife visit.
Gentle IUI when the timing is right for you
IUI and Sample Prep
We time inseminations according to your body’s unique ovulation pattern, which is easily observable if you simply know what to look for. We take the time to teach you how to pinpoint the release of your egg, and we welcome and honor your participation in getting the timing right for you. We approach pelvic care with the utmost sensitivity and respect, which means your IUI's will be gentle and trauma-informed, inviting your consent every step of the way and ensuring your comfort throughout the procedure. We provide in-home IUI and sample prep (sperm washing) in the greater Seattle area as well as in our West Seattle office. To access IUI services, you must establish care with an Initial Fertility Visit at least one month prior to your first IUI with us.
Connect with families like yours
Professionally facilitated support groups
Liam Kali has been facilitating support groups as a community-based care provider for over 25 years and currently leads all groups at Maia. Our groups are made up of people of all genders and family structures. The goal is for participants to connect with others going through a similar experience, building community and experiencing mutual support. All offerings are held on Zoom to increase accessibility and ensure everyone's safety. Groups meet monthly on an ongoing basis. Registration opens and renews every three months.
DID YOU KNOW?
Needing donor sperm to get pregnant does not mean you have infertility!
New research on donor insemination contradicts traditional methods still commonly used in infertility clinics. Ovarian stimulation with medications such as Clomid or Femara and ovulation induction with ultrasound and hCG "trigger" shots do NOT increase success rates in donor insemination, yet they certainly do inflate costs for conceiving families who also have donor gamete expenses, and they increase the likelihood of a high-risk, multiple pregnancy four-fold. As midwives, we have always known that the best way to support fertility is to nourish the whole person, and ovulation symptoms are easily identifiable through self-directed methods of fertility monitoring, without increasing cost or clinical risk. As a growing body of evidence emerges in support of what we have always known, Queer Conception and Maia Midwifery bridges the best in available science with over 30 years of clinical experience in patient-centered donor conception care.
Read more in Queer Conception: The Complete Fertility Guide for Queer and Trans Parents-to-be
Frequently Asked Questions
Still not sure which appointment to choose, or whether Maia is right for you?
Schedule a "Meet the midwife" appointment. This is a 10-minute, introductory consultation.
What does the Initial Fertility Visit include and what does it cost?
Your Initial Fertility Visit includes:
- Comprehensive Health History
- Nutrition Assessment
- Orders for Lab Work and/or Ultrasound
- Semen Analysis Referral / Sperm Bank Release Form
- Fertility Support / Pregnancy Prep Plan
- Identifying Ovulation / Insemination Timing Plan
The initial visit is $250, and it includes a free copy of Maia midwife Kristin Liam Kali’s book, Queer Conception: The Complete Fertlity Guide for Queer and Trans Parents-to-Be.
Can I work with Maia if I do not live in the greater Seattle area?
Though Maia midwifery is based in Seattle, WA, all appointments are provided online using a secure video connection. We provide in-home IUI services in the greater Seattle area. If you are not in Seattle, we can provide everything but the IUI, unless you want to travel to our clinic for your IUI procedure. We also provide orders for lab work throughout the US.
Do you take insurance?
We are not contracted with any health insurance companies, however if you have out-of-network benefits, we will provide you with a superbill that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. Lab work will be billed to your insurance company directly by the lab. Many clients utilize their Health Savings Account to pay for fertility care and IUI services.
I’m inseminating on my own, I just need a signature on my sperm bank release form. Can you do this for me?
Preconception health care is important, and sperm is expensive! We take our role as health care providers very seriously, ensuring that your fertile health is in order, your body is ready for pregnancy, and you’ve got the timing right so that your money on donor sperm is well spent. Please schedule an Initial Fertility Visit, and we would be glad to sign your form as an aspect of your care with us.
Visit our FAQ to find answers to more of our commonly asked questions
Get a Jump On All You Need to Know Before Your First Appointment
Listen as midwife Liam Kali talks about why preconception care is important and what the Maia midwifery approach looks like. Discover why this model of care is especially valuable for LGBTQ+ families, single parents by choice, and those who are conceiving over age 40.
Listen to the Creating Families Podcast
You are a MAGICIAN! No one else has been able to get through my cervix without pain and trauma.