Illume Fertility Sponsors and Attends Men Having Babies Chicago, Championing LGBTQ+ Paths to Parenthood During Pride Month

Dr. Mark Leondires, Founder, Medical Director, and Partner at Illume Fertility provided expertise and education as a panelist on the Medical Aspects of Surrogacy.

NORWALK, Conn., June 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Illume Fertility, a leading fertility practice in the tri-state area known for its award-winning medical team of expert physicians, patient-centered care, and advanced reproductive treatments enabling patients to achieve their fertility and family-building goals, sponsored and exhibited at Men Having Babies (MHB)'s recent conference in Chicago.

The not-for-profit conference returned to Chicago's Center on Halsted offering same-sex male couples and individual fathers-to-be guidance and access to resources on their path to parenthood through surrogacy.

"We are incredibly proud to support the Men Having Babies conference in Chicago, especially during Pride Month, which continues to open doors for intended fathers across the country pursuing their dream of parenthood," said Dr. Mark Leondires, Founder, Medical Director, and Partner at Illume Fertility. "By connecting fathers-to-be with expert guidance, vital resources, and a strong network of support, these men can take meaningful steps toward building their families and make informed decisions as they navigate the often challenging yet rewarding path to parenthood. At Illume, we underscore the importance of inclusive fertility care for all, and pave the way for people seeking to experience the joys of becoming a parent so they can focus on the most special, and memorable moments of the journey."

Dr. Leondires shared his expertise on the "Medical Aspects of Surrogacy" panel, offering education and insight to intended parents navigating the path to fatherhood. Having himself been personally through the process, he highlighted his experience, in conjunction pointing to how Illume has supported patients from over 50 countries, with more than 1,500 successful surrogacy journeys and over 15,000 babies born. He and the team at Illume were honored to provide support, leadership and guidance to dozens of attendees exploring family-building options and enable them to jumpstart their path to success.

Across the United States and around the world, gay men who wish to become fathers often face significant legal, financial, and cultural obstacles. MHB supports members who intend to become parents within two years by providing discounted and free services donated by more than one hundred leading IVF, surrogacy, egg donation, and legal service providers to prospective parents, through its Gay Parenting Assistance Program (GPAP). In addition to providing cash grants to eligible parents, the program also provides discounted and donated complementary services such as fertility medication, escrow services, and insurance resource services.

For the first time, this year's MHB Chicago event introduced special programming specifically designed for prospective parents affected by infertility, further expanding its reach and support to a broader audience.

Tim and Steve, a New York couple who built their family through two IVF and surrogacy journeys, shared their experience working with Illume Fertility: "It was important to us to find a doctor and clinic that really embraces the LGBTQ+ community, and it was immediately clear that the entire Illume Fertility team truly derives joy from helping us grow our families."

For more information on LGBTQ+ paths to parenthood, visit illumefertility.com.

About Illume Fertility
Illume Fertility is a leading fertility practice in the tri-state area providing a best-in-class patient experience and cutting-edge treatments by award-winning physicians to help patients achieve their fertility and family-building goals. Led by an expert team of nine highly credentialed, board-certified reproductive endocrinologists, many of whom have received Castle Connolly's prestigious Top Doctors award, Illume Fertility specializes in a complete range of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) including intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF), preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) and egg, sperm, and embryo cryopreservation. Recognized as a Healthcare Equality Leader by the Human Rights Campaign for seven consecutive years, Illume Fertility's commitment to inclusive care includes a world-renowned egg donation and gestational surrogacy program, a dedicated team of third-party reproduction experts, and Gay Parents To Be®, an award-winning resource hub offering tailored support for LGBTQ+ family building. Illume Fertility is the only regional fertility clinic with offices in Connecticut and New York offering comprehensive holistic support services, including in-house nutrition counseling, onsite genetic counselors, fertility acupuncture, yoga for fertility, community events, as well as a network of mental health providers focused on fertility and family-building. Illume Fertility is proud of its exceptional success rates and continues to be a leader in patient-centered care, providing compassionate, expert guidance to each prospective parent we serve.

Media Contact
Stacy Callahan, Astonish Media Group, 917-972-1101, [email protected], astonishmediagroup.com
Victoria Andretta, Illume Fertility, 845-494-7229, [email protected], illumefertility.com

SOURCE Illume Fertility