But increasing pressure on access to donor sperm caused by shortages and rising costs are adding to the barriers to having a child.
For Queensland author and academic Melanie Saward, a Bigambul and Wakka Wakka woman, the complexities were doubled when she became a patient at a donor clinic only to discover there were no Indigenous donors to choose from.
"Fertility treatment and women's health is so hush-hush and taboo, and we aren't talking about it enough," she told AAP.
"When you are also a minority, it is even more likely that there is no one talking about it."
Dr Saward will take part in a panel discussion on the sperm drought and how clinic waitlists are driving people to shady corners of the internet or having delicate conversations with friends in order to start a family.
The panel is part of the All About Women festival held at the Sydney Opera House on March 8.
After three rounds of treatment, Dr Saward unsuccessful in having a baby and health issues later led to her decision to have a hysterectomy in 2024.
She hopes to bring a different perspective to discussions about fertility and parenthood.
"I went from always thinking about fertility and babies for most of my 30s, to starting my 40s facing that question of 'what next?' because I won't be a mum of biological children," Dr Saward said.
"I want people to see there are multiple ways to be a parent and that if (fertility treatment) is not successful, life will be ok."
Joining Dr Saward on the panel will be author Alisha Burns, founder of Solo Mum Society which helps women navigate solo motherhood.
The sudden death of her father pushed Ms Burns to become a mother on her own, and thus began her fertility treatment journey of selecting a sperm donor and undergoing IVF before the birth of her daughter in 2020.
"I found there was really no education or information about single motherhood, everything was aimed at couples," Ms Burns said.
"The decision to have a child on your own is massive and I saw a real opportunity to connect with other solo mums and create informative courses and memberships for people considering this as an option."
While Ms Burns clinical donor experience was overwhelmingly positive, sperm shortages across the country are leading people down unregulated avenues.
"The scarcity of sperm at the moment is meaning people are making decisions that they wouldn't otherwise," she said.
"Women considering solo motherhood are often going into unregulated channels to find a donor and there's a lot of misinformation through some of those sites and Facebook pages that is leading women astray."
Nationally consistent donor regulation and registration across all states and territories would go a long way in keeping would-be donors, parents and children safe.
"It's just such a changing landscape and there's not enough men donating or educated about how it works," Ms Burns said.
"Without a national governing body there is no way of preventing someone from donating to multiple clinics undetected so consistency across the country would be a huge improvement."
16°C