Dr Mataroria Lyndon from Tend answers your health-related questions.
Q – I’m bisexual and live in a small town, so I value privacy around my personal life. I’ve previously had fertility conversations with my GP during a heterosexual marriage, and I’m now in a relationship with a woman and hoping to try for children. Rather than revisiting all of that with the same GP, could my partner and I work with Tend on our fertility journey? What would that process look like, and how does Tend support queer couples navigating this?
A – Absolutely. At Tend, our GPs work with you and your partner to explore pathways to parenthood as a queer couple, while ensuring your care is confidential, respectful, and informed.
For couples where both partners are cis women and pregnancy isn’t possible without assistance, we often recommend speaking with a fertility counsellor as a first step. It’s important to know that fertility counselling and treatment aren’t publicly funded unless specific eligibility criteria are met, but we can help you understand what options are available and where to go next.
We can support you through the decision-making and preparation process, including conversations about options such as sperm donation via a fertility clinic, surrogacy, or adoption and fostering. We can also talk about ways to optimise fertility health for both partners – particularly for the partner who may be planning to carry the pregnancy, if that’s something you’re considering.
Clinically, we’d talk through things like menstrual regularity, previous pregnancies or fertility treatments, overall health, and any relevant medical history. Our role is to provide respectful, informed care that supports queer families at every stage of their journey.
Tend is a New Zealand-owned healthcare provider that’s reimagining how Kiwis access primary care. Founded in 2020 by a team of health professionals, technologists and entrepreneurs, the organisation blends cutting-edge digital tools with traditional GP services to make healthcare more accessible, equitable and convenient across Aotearoa. Through the Tend app and a growing network of physical clinics, patients can book online or in-person GP appointments, access prescriptions and medical certificates, and connect with mental health support – all designed for the way people live today.
Download the Tend app or visit tend.nz
Got a health-related question for Dr Mataroria Lyndon to answer? fill in the form below or email ask@gayexpress.co.nz
