The Surrogacy Process Isn’t Right For Everyone, But Is It Right For You?

The surrogacy process can be life changing.  If you are struggling with conceiving a baby on your own, this could be an option worth considering.  Or, you may be interested in helping someone else begin a family of their own. 

Whether you are a hopeful intended parent, or a prospective surrogate considering this journey, you probably have many questions about how this process works. Let’s look at the surrogacy process in chronological order.

The Surrogacy Process
*This is a guest post and all opinions are those of the author. This post may also contain affiliate and/or paid links. Rest assured that we only work with companies and individuals that we trust. While some of those companies and individuals may work in the medical field, this post is not intended to be a substitution for medical advice. Always speak to your doctor if you have concerns about your mental or physical health.

Prepare for surrogacy

Before embarking on the surrogacy process, it’s important to understand how does surrogacy work?  That way, you can decide if it’s the right option for you and your family. You need to learn about the different surrogacy agreements available. Here is a brief overview: 

Gestational Surrogacy: In this process, the eggs will be provided by the intended mother (or a donor) and fertilized with sperm from the intended father (or a donor). The surrogate’s eggs are not involved in any way, so the surrogate will not have a genetic link with the baby.

Traditional Surrogacy: Is when the surrogate uses her eggs and is artificially inseminated with sperm from the intended father or a donor. Because her eggs are used, she will be genetically connected to the baby. There are several legal and emotional concerns with this form of surrogacy, therefore, it is not commonly pursued. 

Compensated Surrogacy: This is a surrogacy arrangement in which the surrogate is paid an agreed-upon amount for her services. 

Altruistic Surrogacy: Is when the surrogate is only compensated for surrogacy-related expenses. 

It’s also recommended that you think about your goals and start drafting your surrogacy plan. When working on your plan, you will need to think about the kind of intended parents or surrogate you would like to work with, the type of relationship would you like to have once the baby is born, and much more. 

How to Make a Postpartum Plan for a Smooth Recovery
.

Find a Match

Once ready, it’s time to find your ideal match. This phase is probably one of the most exciting parts of the whole journey.  It’s important not to rush, to make sure you find your surrogacy soul mate, because you will have a very close relationship with your surrogate/intended parents for at least twelve months. 

When looking for intended parents or a surrogate, it’s vital that you define your expectations for the journey, and make sure that the other party has the same expectations. A good surrogacy plan will be a boon during this phase. 

Medical and Psychological Screening 

After the matching, one of the less pleasant phases begins. The surrogate will need to undergo a medical screening and psychological evaluation to confirm that she is in good shape and is psychologically ready to pursue a surrogacy journey. 

Complete the Surrogacy Contract 

While surrogacy is an exciting journey, there are always ups and downs to navigate; the surrogacy contract will help to protect all parties. 
This legal document sets out the rights and obligations of, both, the surrogate, and the intended parents. The agreement also outlines the parentage to be assigned to the child once it is born.  Each party should have individual legal representation, so that they can receive personalized advice and protection of their rights. Once both parties agree, the contract is signed. 

10 Important Warning Signs of Endometriosis
.

 

Fertility Treatment and Pregnancy 

Once the surrogate has been cleared by the fertility doctor, and the contract has been drafted and signed, a nurse at the IVF clinic will schedule the various phases of the IVF cycle.  The treatment will vary depending on whether a fresh or frozen embryo transfer will be done. 

Fresh Embryo Transfer 

For a fresh embryo transfer, the egg donor and surrogate will have to synchronize their cycles. After the egg retrieval, the eggs will be fertilized, and then an embryo will be transferred to the surrogate. 

Frozen Embryo Transfer

In a frozen embryo transfer, frozen fertilized eggs from a previous IVF are thawed and transferred to the surrogate. About ten days after the embryo transfer, the surrogate will be tested (via blood test) to confirm pregnancy. 

If pregnancy is confirmed, an ultrasound will be done about six weeks later to confirm the heartbeat. Normally, after this ultrasound, the surrogate will be released to her OBGYN to continue with the typical prenatal care, checkups, and ultrasounds. However, if there are complications, a different approach might be recommended. 

Welcoming the New Baby 

The most exciting moment of the surrogacy journey, the birth is truly a life-changing experience for, both, the prospective parents, and the surrogate. Typically, the parents will accompany the surrogate to the hospital or meet her there, per their arrangement.


Author Bio

David Bull is the founder of MySurrogateMom, an online surrogacy community dedicated to everyone considering pursuing a surrogacy process in the US and Canada. He is a passionate advocate of surrogacy education and access for all seeking their third-party path to parenthood.

Website: MySurrogateMom.com is an independent surrogacy community designed to connect intended parents, surrogates, and egg donors. Finding the right match is an extremely personal process. We have created this space to help people connect with their surrogacy soulmate. Everything we do is meant to bring members together and help them in their search for this special person.  

Social Media Handles: FacebookTwitter | Instagram

  
 

Author: Vanessa Rapisarda

Vanessa is a married, mother of three gorgeous kids. As a postpartum depression survivor, she writes about maternal mental health and wellness. She believes that speaking up about postpartum depression is one of the strongest things a mother can do to help raise awareness and end the stigma of mental illness.