Besides helping to create a family, any pregnancy including a surrogate pregnancy, brings about positive changes. Several of those changes are great benefits to your body. The following are some of the top benefits that you may not know.

• Fewer Cramps: Your menstrual cycle will naturally resume after childbirth. Some women find that they may have fewer bothersome cramps or menstrual pain cease altogether. This pain reduction is a well-known phenomenon, but no one knows for sure why it occurs. One theory is that childbirth eliminates some of the prostaglandin receptor sites in the uterus. Prostaglandins; hormones that direct the uterus to contract during labor, also play a role in monthly menstrual pain. Fewer pain-receptor sites equal fewer cramps.
• Lower cancer risk: Pregnancy may be an effective protector against breast and ovarian cancers. The more pregnancies you go through, the greater the effect. In addition, some research has found that breastfeeding (or pumping if you’re a surrogate) for more than three months can also lower your risk of certain cancers.
• Greater Senses: Pregnancy seems to enhance your perception of taste and smell. Yes, that same smell that made morning sickness worse in early pregnancy can make foods taste especially delicious later on. Some experts credit this to high levels of estrogen.
• Healthy lifestyle: Pregnancy causes many women to institute various kinds of positive health changes and encourage women to drop bad habits, such as smoking. These new health habits become shifts to a healthier lifestyle.
• Confidence Boost: Labor and delivery are compared to a marathon for a reason. After giving birth or even while pregnant, women feel a sense of accomplishment. Carrying a child is the ultimate do-it-yourself project that is sure to make any woman proud; not to mention the joy of knowing that as a surrogate you helped complete a family!

In addition to happiness, these are just a few of the many joyous things having children can bring.

 

Some intended parents prefer that the surrogate not take a home pregnancy test and wait for the blood tests which is usually administered 10-14 days after a transfer. However, for those who just can’t wait until the blood tests, here’s the scoop on home pregnancy tests. How accurate are they? Which ones are the best?

Home pregnancy tests measure the presence of a pregnancy hormone that is produced by the placenta called hCG or human chorionic gonadotropin in your urine. Even though many tests claim to be “greater than 99 percent accurate”, a study published in 2011 in the journal Clinical Chemistry and laboratory medicine showed that this is misleading. Although the tests may be able to detect the hormone in your urine and give you a positive result, most aren’t sensitive enough to guarantee you an accurate result.

Test sensitivity is the lowest reported concentration of hCG that the test can detect. For example, a pregnancy test that claims to be able to detect hCG at 20 mIU/ml should theoretically be more sensitive than one that claims to detect it at 50 mIU/ml. The following tests are the best on the market.

• First Response Early Result (Est. $16) – It is actually the most sensitive on the market. This test is able to detect hCG in the urine BEFORE a missed period, which is almost unheard of for a home pregnancy test.
• The First Response Gold (Est. $20) – It gives you results up to five days before you miss your period. This test also offers an easy to read display. The “test is working” display feature shows women that they are using the test properly, and lets you know that the test is in good working order.
• ClearBlue Easy (Est. $14) – While this test from ClearBlue Easy is not as sensitive as the First Response Early Result test, its digital results make it easy to read and it turns pink when it is being used correctly.

Some surrogates start testing as early as five days post transfer but beware that the line may not show up that early or it may be extremely faint!

Whether you decide to wait for the blood test or whether you try one of these home pregnancy tests, we’re keeping our fingers crossed for you and hoping for a safe and happy surrogacy journey!

Prices provided by walgreens.com.

A failed IVF cycle takes a toll emotionally and physically. Dealing with these issues may come easier if the intended parents are fully aware of the risks and are prepared to deal with possible failure.

The first thing that should happen after a failed IVF attempt is to take a week or more if needed to cope with the news that your cycle did not succeed. Take it one-step at a time. Make sure the surrogate is dealing well with the news too. It’s not easy on her either. Then the IVF physician should review the cycle carefully. They may learn something from the results of the IVF ovarian stimulation process, possible issues with egg retrieval, egg quality and/or quantity, embryo development, or problems with the embryo transfer procedure.

According to the Time Magazine article, “Researchers Question When to Stop Trying With IVF” by Meredith Melnick, a team of researchers found that women’s success rates using in vitro fertilization (IVF) did not improve much after the first three cycles. About one in three women had a baby after their first attempt with IVF, and nearly half carried a child to term the second time. However by the third attempt, the success rate did not significantly increase.

Statistically speaking, a woman under 40 years of age, having selected a good IVF program is likely to have a better than 70% chance of having a baby within three completed attempts – provided that she has a normal and receptive uterus capable of developing an “adequate” uterine lining. Women 39-43 years of age, who meet the same criteria, will likely have about half that chance (35% – 40%).

Repeated IVF failures can become counterproductive and destructive on relationships. The comforting words of loved ones always help the intended parents through this difficult time. It’s wise to not start another cycle unless you’re ready. Seeking encouragement from a medical professional or spiritual advisor is also recommended.

Starting the surrogacy process is an exciting time. Egg retrieval is a major part of the process and the intended mother should be prepared.

Before beginning the process of egg retrieval several screenings are required. These include:

• Ovarian reserve testing (blood tests to determine the quantity and quality of your eggs and how your ovaries will respond to fertility medication)
• Mock embryo transfer (determines the depth of your uterine cavity and the technique that is needed to most likely result in a successful embryo transfer)
• Infectious disease screening (HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C).

The intended mother undergoes a process very similar to in-vitro fertilization. The egg-retrieval process takes approximately 4 to 6 weeks to complete and includes: 2-to-4 weeks of self-administered hormone injections and birth control pills to temporarily turn off natural hormones and 10-to-14 days of hormone injections to stimulate the ovaries and ripen multiple eggs.

Once the eggs have matured, a needle under ultrasound guidance removes them while the intended mother is under sedation. After retrieval, the eggs are fertilized and transferred to the surrogate. Sometimes they are immediately frozen until the intended mother has found a surrogate and is ready to attempt pregnancy.

Afterwards, a series of medications are prescribed, which may include an antibiotic to prevent infection, a steroid to reduce any inflammation in the reproductive organs, and hormonal supplements to provide extra support to theendometrial lining. It is important to take these medications exactly as prescribed. Also, refraining from sexual intercourse for a period of time, avoiding submerging yourself in water (bubble baths), and using a pad instead of tampons are advised.

 

As an employer, asking questions to potential employees is essential. However, what if you are searching for a surrogate? The following are a few essential things you must ask before selecting anyone:

What made her want to be a surrogate? – This is a great way to get to know your surrogate and to see (besides money) what motivates her to want to give you this great gift.

• What were her other pregnancies (if any) like? – This would help you know if she had easy pregnancies or complications. Also it would provide great insight to see what could be included in a possible care package for her.
• What is her support system like? Are friends and/or family involved? – Pregnancy is physically and emotionally demanding. Make sure she has people who care about her and who appreciate what an amazing thing she’s doing. This is especially important for same- sex intended parents.
• Are you comfortable with me/us being in doctor’s appointments and the delivery room? Surrogates will expect your participation in the process. However, asking is OK for clarification.
• How many fetuses are you willing to carry? Are you willing to selectively reduce or terminate for an abnormality? – Some surrogates won’t reduce or terminate for religious reasons and some feel like it is the parents that are the ones ones that need to make those decisions because it is their baby. There is no right or wrong answer; everyone just needs to be in agreement with this extremely important point. 
• What kind of communication would you like to maintain after the birth? – There is no right answer to this either. Just make sure your views align so that there are no hurt feelings in the end.

The questions you can ask are endless. The most important thing is that you get to know each other and make sure your personalities mesh. What are some questions you would ask?

It is a critical to have a contract no matter how close or agreeable intended parents and surrogates are. The following six topics are essential for a smoother surrogacy journey:

• Outline local laws: Make sure there is at least an overview of the surrogacy laws in the state where the baby will be delivered. It also should include and overview of the laws of where the intended parents live.
• Financial Obligations: This should outline how much payment is and how often they are to be paid. In addition, it is great to consider whether or not the funds will be in an escrow account or directly to the surrogate.
• Medical Decisions: With any pregnancy there are risks. Intended parents and the surrogate should be on the same page in regards to selective reduction, the number of embryos transferred, how many transfers will take place if they are unsuccessful, and whether the intended parents will attend appointments and the birth.
• Medical Bills: Some surrogates have health insurance that can be used to cover maternity costs. Other times, intended parents purchase insurance for the surrogate . The contract should outline how these bills will be handled.
• Time and Travel: Intended parents and surrogates need to coordinate how many times intended parents will travel to see the surrogate and when.
• Privacy: The contract should outline what kind of relationship the intended parents will have with the surrogate after the birth. Also, it is a great idea to have the HIPPA medical privacy act briefed.

Every contract should be reviewed by an attorney well versed in surrogacy laws to make sure there are no loopholes and everything runs smoothly.

 States such as California are making new strides in making some people’s dreams come true. They are offering surrogacy to HIV positive intended parents.

Participants in the HIV program go through the same process as other clients with the addition of an extensive health screening and preparation process for the sperm which virtually eliminates any risk of exposure to the surrogate or embryo. This process is called sperm washing. (Sperm washing rests on the premise that HIV-infected material is carried primarily in the seminal fluid rather than in the sperm itself. The technique involves separating sperm from seminal fluid. Many men with the disease show no material trace of the virus in their sperm. Therefore it is viable to use for implantation.

The program in California sponsored by Growing Generations is now available not only to citizens of the U.S. but to international clients as well due to the Obama administration’s lifting of the restriction on visas for HIV-positive foreigners. Over 10 babies have been born to HIV positive parents in California. Surrogacy Abroad Inc. has just created a program for HIV parents to receive a surrogate in India. So far eleven babies have been born to HIV positive parents under this program. The babies nor the surrogates were infected. Thailand is another country that has also recently opened its doors to positive intended parents for surrogacy.

Do you agree with the new direction surrogacy is taking to help those with HIV to become parents?

Recently, many intended parents have opted for expensive screening processes known as Preimplantation Genetics Diagnosis (PGD) or Preimplantation Genetics Screening (PGS).

These two methods are similar in that the retrieved eggs must be fertilized with sperm in a dish, and then the resulting embryos must be grown in culture. Once the embryos reach a particular stage of its development (around day three), a small hole is made in the outer membrane of each embryo and a bit of the interior is removed for a biopsy. After biopsy, the IVF laboratory will send the cells to a genetics lab for analysis for PGD or PGS.

PGD is a way to determine whether an embryo is carrying the genetic material associated with a specific genetic disease, such as breast cancer. PGS can tell how many of each chromosome are in the cells of an embryo. Patients with some type of chromosomal problem or ones who are interested in selecting the gender of the child are good candidates for PGS.

There is the potential that none of the embryos may be normal or that the results are inaccurate depending on when the embryos are biopsied. There is also a chance that the procedure itself may have an adverse effect on the embryos. These procedures are also costly and are often not covered by insurance. Biopsy and analysis can cost somewhere in between $5,000 to $6,000 on top of the cost of an IVF cycle.

These screenings could potentially give intended parents an idea of what possible medical issues their children could have. However, if the results aren’t always viable, do you think it is worth the costs?