If you’re looking to become a surrogate mother and this is your first time, you probably have a lot of questions.

For starters, you may have some misconceptions, such as that the process of surrogate pregnancy is complex. While its true that the process can be challenging to navigate, you have all of us at Shared Conception to help you with that! Plus, a surrogate pregnancy itself is no different than a normal pregnancy. You can expect to feel and experience the same health conditions and emotions that you do during a normal pregnancy.

Of course, one crucial difference is that of embryo transfer. As you may already know, this part is quite different from a normal pregnancy. Even so, you don’t need to worry, because you’ll be in the hands of highly experienced medical professionals.

Embryo Transfer Process

When you visit the IVF clinic for the first time, the doctors will conduct some tests and you’ll undergo a thorough checkup to make sure that you’re healthy enough for the surrogacy process. In case you’re wondering about the medical expenses, don’t worry. The intended parents are liable to pay all medical expenses associated with the surrogacy process. So once you clear up all the details, you can schedule the embryo transfer. The doctor will also give you some instructions on how to take care of yourself, along with some medication.

Preparing for Embryo Transfer

Before you undergo the embryo transfer process, you’ll have to mentally prepare yourself to become a surrogate mother. Hence, you need to start by taking good care of yourself in the days leading up to the embryo transfer. A good way to do this is to sleep on time and get enough rest to relax your body. Maybe take some extra naps that week. Next up, don’t forget to keep yourself hydrated and watch what you eat. You should add protein, fiber, and carbohydrates to all your meals in proper proportions while ensuring that you choose the best sources for all your nutrients. When you start off by taking good care of your diet and sleeping routine, you’ll feel ready when it’s time for the big day, i.e., embryo transfer.

Some other things that you need to do before going through the embryo transfer process are as follows.

• Discuss your concerns about the IVF plan with your IVF doctor. Make sure that this plan caters to all your needs and requirements so that you feel comfortable.
• Stay on top of your current medications. They will help improve your chances of getting pregnant.
• As the day of embryo transfer draws near, write down any questions you may want to ask your doctor. This way, you can address all concerns before the day of implantation.
• Do some research on your IVF center and try to understand what equipment they have.
• Review what days and times you have to visit the center.

The Big Day

When you visit the fertility clinic, it’s likely that you’ll be feeling full, as the doctor will have instructed you to come with a full bladder. They will ask you to enter a room where you will lay on a bed. Note that the embryo transfer requires thawed embryos. These are embryos that were frozen and underwent a preservation process after being removed from the uterus of the donor mother.

The implantation process is relatively painless and quick, so you won’t have to take any anesthesia either. When you lay straight, the doctor will insert a catheter into your uterus, carrying an embryo. The process is somewhat similar to a pap smear.

Depending on the clinic, they might also monitor the process through an abdominal sonogram. Some clinics also let the surrogate see the procedure in real-time with a doctor. The doctor will strategically push the embryo into your uterus by inserting a small puff of air. Then, they will slowly remove the catheter to prevent pain or irritation in your uterus. That’s it. The process merely takes a minute or two, so you won’t even notice how quickly it ends.

Since the doctor performs the process with care, there will be no reason to stay at the clinic. So, you just need to rest at the clinic for a few minutes, and you’re good to go home.

After the Embryo Transfer Process

Once the process is over, you can carry on with the surrogate pregnancy like a normal pregnancy. You don’t have to expect anything different, except for a few extra visits to a doctor. At first, you need to visit the clinic every few days to confirm your pregnancy. Afterward, you’ll need to make a few ultrasound and bloodwork visits to the clinic so they check up on you and your baby’s health. Around the eight to twelfth week of pregnancy, you’ll start seeing your own OB of choice. Usually it’s the same OB that delivered your own children.

Besides that, you can also expect to keep the intended parents in the loop throughout the pregnancy. They will check your results and discuss your pregnancy with the doctor. Of course, they’ll also ask you to look after yourself. By the time you get pregnant, you will start receiving promised surrogate compensation on designated days. An obvious factor that makes surrogacy different from other pregnancies is that the intended parents will pay the entire surrogate cost.

Bottom Line

Surrogate mothers don’t need to worry about the process if they have given birth before. This is because the embryo transfer process only takes a few minutes and is almost painless. After that, you can expect the same experience as a normal pregnancy.

We know surrogacy is a complicated topic in itself. If you need more assistance, you can contact Shared Conception to address your concerns.

 

Introduction

Surrogacy is a beautiful journey, just as it ought to be. But it’s important that you follow certain steps to ensure that all goes well throughout the term.

If you’re ready to take on the most rewarding and life-changing journey of your life, we can provide you with essential information. Below, you’ll find detailed information listing some of the steps involved in the surrogate pregnancy process.

When you decide to grow your family, or another’s through the process of surrogate pregnancy, you will also have to take a few important decisions.

Firstly, you must decide whether you want to approach surrogacy domestically, such as within the United States or internationally. So whether you’re a surrogate or a couple looking for one, you can choose a match from your own locality or approach someone in a different country.

You may have rightful concerns about the several legal requirements regarding surrogacy. Don’t worry though, because several authorities around the world work to facilitate legal proceedings. While it’s certainly a life-changing decision, surrogacy has helped complete many families around the world.

States have laws in place to offer thorough protection and streamline the journey so all parties experience a smooth process. Governing authorities do their best to ensure protective rights for both parties so intended parents and surrogate mothers don’t face complications later.

Process of Surrogate Pregnancy

A common term that you’ll come across during the journey is gestational surrogacy. The intended parents and surrogates must sign a gestational agreement which spells out the duties of both parties; financial and non-financial. Part of this is that the intended parents pay the surrogate pre-birth child support payments, so she can care for their unborn child and carry the child to term.

In addition to paying the fixed sum of money that potential intended parents have agreed upon previously, they must also provide for medical expenses. In fact, in most surrogate pregnancies, the intended parents must also cover for the lost wages, housekeeping and childcare if the surrogate needs to go on bedrest at any point during the pregnancy.

You can consult surrogacy agencies in Texas to learn all about the terms and conditions of gestational  surrogacy. However, once the surrogate is matched with intended parents, both sides are able to get the assistance and guidance of legal professionals.  It’s the responsibility of all involved parties to ensure their terms align with the regional and state laws of where they live, which is part of what the legal professionals assist with.

If you live in a state where surrogacy is not an option, you could always research and seek out the assistance of a surrogacy agency in a surrogate friendly state such as Texas, where this process is legal and common.

Meanwhile, laws governing gestational surrogacy don’t require continued communication between the intended parents and the surrogate mother. It’s entirely up to both parties if they want to keep in touch after the birth but most of our surrogates and intented parents have wonderful friendships that continue after the birth!

Surrogate Requirements

Besides wanting to help a couple become parents and start a family, you must meet the following agency requirements.

• The surrogate should be able to travel throughout the process of surrogate pregnancy, when and as needed for appointments and legal meetings.
• The surrogate woman must not have current STDs
• The surrogate woman mustn’t have a history of postpartum depression.
• The gestational surrogate must not have any history of severe complications from previous pregnancies.
• The gestational carrier or surrogate woman must have had at least one successful pregnancy in the past.
• She should not be someone with a history of more than five vaginal and three cesarean deliveries.
• The gestational surrogate must not have a smoking habit or use illicit drugs.
• The surrogate woman must rely on government assistance.
• The gestational surrogate must have a BMI no higher than 32.
• The surrogate women must be within the recommended age limit of twenty-one to forty-five.

The stepwise process that ensues is as follows:

1. The surrogate woman submits her application and waits for a prescreening coordinator to reach out.
2. When the prescreening coordinator gets in touch, the surrogate’s medical records go under review and evaluation, and they run background checks.
3. The agency’s coordinator consults with the surrogate woman and her primary support person.
4. Then, the matching process takes place, in which surrogate women meets the intended parents they will work with.
5. Once everyone unanimously agrees on the match, the match becomes official.
6. The psychological testing IVF medical screening takes place next.
7. The surrogate woman begins taking medication and attending local monitoring appointments.
8. The surrogate’s pregnancy is closely monitored by the fertility clinic for the first two to three months and then is released to her own OB for further care.
9. The process of surrogate pregnancy ends with the delivery and handing the baby over to its intended parents.

Final Thoughts

Surrogacy agencies in Texas play an active part in facilitating the process for surrogate women and intended parents. There are many steps involved in the process but Shared Conception is here to help with each step!

For any queries you may have regarding your surrogacy journey, feel free to reach out to us at www.sharedconception.com!

 

 

Parenthood is one of life’s most fulfilling and poignant phases of a woman’s life. Unfortunately, it does not come easily to every woman. Therefore, the process of surrogate pregnancy has become increasingly popular. It serves as a miraculous solution for those who cannot carry their own pregnancy but wish to have children.

Becoming a surrogate mother is a life-changing decision. It requires a compassionate, empathetic, extremely generous, and courageous heart.

What does it take to have a Heart of a Gestational Surrogate?

If you consult surrogacy agencies in Texas, they will tell you that intended parents cannot use the eggs of the surrogate mother or the gestational carrier. They do not create the embryo, but they will transfer it to the uterus of the surrogate mother so that she can carry the pregnancy.

While the reasons to become a surrogate are clear in most cases, it is natural to wonder what motivates a woman to bear the pains of childbirth for another couple. Over the years, many gestational carriers have shared their reasons for becoming a surrogate and the factors that motivated them to deliver someone’s child.

In most cases, gestational carriers share the joy they feel from being pregnant. They love experiencing the wholesomeness it brings and the feeling of being complete. For others, it is the comfortable financial cushioning the process of surrogate pregnancy provides. It is true that intended parents have to pay a lot of money to the surrogate mother to deliver their baby. Women who already have children of their own but want to help others experience the say joy may opt for surrogacy. It would provide them with sufficient financial compensation to fulfill the needs of their own family while giving the intended parents what they have longed for.

It is no hidden fact that gestational carriers can earn around forty-five thousand to sixty-thousand dollars and more for delivering a surrogate baby. Compensation can vary, and surrogate mothers can earn even more depending on their locality, support factors, insurance arrangements, and more.

For most, though, the motivation that helps volunteer women to develop the heart of surrogate mothers is the joy of helping another couple become parents. Parenthood is one of life’s greatest gifts and pleasures, and facilitating others in obtaining it can be an exceptionally rewarding experience for surrogates.

Choosing to Become a Surrogate

For most intended parents, there is no limit to the joy every moment of the surrogate’s pregnancy entails. You will always see almost a child-like glee on their faces whenever they hear the heartbeats of their unborn baby in the surrogate’s womb and their tiny body developing in each successful ultrasound.

Helping couples experience this unfailing joy is the sole reason why many women choose to become surrogates. The process of surrogate pregnancy is the same for women as carrying their own babies. They’re as comfortable as they are in their own baby’s trimesters, and everything progresses just as it should.

However, many surrogate women will relate to how they feel even more relaxed and comfortable carrying a surrogate baby to term than their own. Perhaps it is because they look upon it not too differently than a babysitting job, acknowledging the responsibility of another person’s child under their care.

Working with an Agency is better

For surrogate mothers, it is not really a good option to navigate the emotional and legal process of delivering another couple’s child on their own. The entire experience can be too overwhelming and unnecessarily difficult. Rather if you choose to work with an agency, such as Shared Conception, which is one of the surrogacy agencies in Texas, you will have experts leading you every step of the way.

From the application, screening, and matching to the preparing process, our experts will guide you and the intended parents through every step of surrogate motherhood. Surrogacy is also a sensitive legal issue, and it is important to enlist the help of reputable and authentic authorities to see it through.

Besides, a reputable agency makes the process of surrogacy even more memorable, stress-free and joyous for everyone involved. However, before initiating the process, it is important for the gestational carriers to discuss it with their children and spouse.

Since surrogacy is still a widely debated topic, there can be varying reactions from families. While some may be supportive and even excited to share the GC’s journey, other families may find it unacceptable. Hence, discussing it beforehand and involving your children and partner is necessary.

Final Thoughts

The process of being a surrogate demands selflessness, empathy for couples devoid of the joy of children, and a generous heart. It takes willingness, courage, and steadfast commitment to carry another couple’s baby in the womb and deliver it to term. For some, the emotional transfer of the surrogate baby to the intended parents can be challenging too.

But with the right approach and objective, you will find surrogacy to be a rewarding experience, just as it must be. For any additional help, you may need with your journey of surrogacy, feel free to contact us. Any of us at Shared Conception would be happy to give you more information!

 

Planning to opt for surrogate pregnancy to become parents? Once you choose the surrogacy process, you need to find the right surrogacy agency and surrogate.

Though the waiting can make it seem like the process is taking forever, the process itself is beautiful and exciting. You and your spouse or partner patiently wait for a little one who will change your life once he or she comes home. The thought of becoming parents will help you cherish each moment and celebrate every step towards becoming parents. So, don’t worry about the waiting period and begin your journey with hope.

Here, we have mentioned some of the stages of the process of a surrogate pregnancy that will require a great deal of patience on your part.

The Journey to Becoming a Parent

Looking for Right Surrogate Agency

Are you and your spouse ready to become parents? If so, you can start looking for surrogacy agencies in Texas. Choosing an agency can take a great deal of time, as you need to consider several factors before making a decision. Since the agency has to regulate the entire process, it’s best to take your time versus making a decision in a hurry.

Opting for a local agency instead of a national agency is a great idea. This way, you will be able to find surrogates who are present in your city and state. You don’t have to travel all day to another state to meet the surrogate. Also, take time to research them. Check their experiences, qualification, and reviews.

Make sure that the agency is equipped to meet your requirements. Speak to a representative and see how honest they are about the joys and challenges of surrogacy. Lastly, before making any decision, ask health questions that come to your mind and see if they can satisfy you or not.

Finding a Surrogate Mother

Once you choose an agency, it’s time to look for the right candidate to give birth to your child. Finding a surrogate mother is the most challenging task of them all. Some people wait for months to be matched with the right surrogate.

If you don’t already know someone who wants to become a surrogate mother, your chosen surrogacy agency will help you. They will look for surrogates who have been screened by the agency, are in good health and align with your preferences. The agency will first schedule a consultation with you to discuss your objectives and preferences.

After we have found the ideal surrogate for you, we will set up a meeting for all of us. You both can share your concerns and discuss the plan. If you don’t find them appropriate, our agency will continue searching for the right surrogate. The process will repeat until you find the right person. But keep in mind that you need to be realistic with your requirements, and if you have a long list of wishes and requirements, you might need to wait for a year or more.

Signing the Contract

You also need to go through the legal process. You will create a plan that will include all aspects of the surrogate process- surrogacy cost, the process of pregnancy, a clinic for the surrogacy process, and others.

Your attorney will draft the contract while considering state laws. Also, the surrogate needs to be satisfied with the contract and surrogate compensation. Our agency handles this for you since we want all parties to be satisfied and happy about the process.

Embryo Transfer Process

The intended parents need to go through some medical procedures. The doctor will take some tests and give you medication that you need to take for some days to improve the development of the eggs and sperm cells. After that, they’ll do the embryo retrieval, which is followed by PGT-A testing to make sure the embryos are “normal”.  All this leads to the most critical process, the embryo transfer to your surrogate. Then you, your partner, and your surrogate need to wait to get pregnant.

Pregnancy Period and Labor

Once your chosen surrogate gets pregnant, you will meet with the surrogate and physicians multiple times.  This will be the time when your excitement level will be at a peak.

The last stage is the labor period when you get the call that your surrogate is about to give birth. This period might only last a few hours, but waiting will seem longer than you can imagine.

Finally, you will get the chance to take your baby home. At that moment, you will realize that waiting for this precious moment and the most beautiful gift was worthwhile.

Bottom Line

Local agencies, such as Shared Conception have been working in the field for several years and have numerous contracts with Texas surrogates. Hence, they know how to match couples with the right surrogate. So, if waiting is hard for you, make sure you have chosen the right experts. Reach out to us at Shared Conception if you have any questions about the process. We are here to help!

Despite being a rewarding experience for everyone involved, surrogate pregnancy is quite complicated. But being a life-changing decision, there are many factors that the surrogate mother will have to consider. Becoming a surrogate mother can be an emotionally taxing ordeal.

Surrogate-Born Baby- The Emotional Transfer

You don’t need officials at the surrogate agencies to tell you that being a surrogate mother is just like normal pregnancy for a woman. Just as a normal pregnancy, the mother does get attached to the child she’s carrying in her womb.

It is exactly the same for the surrogate mother, who is bound to bond with the child inside her, even if it’s not hers. She cannot emotionally detach herself from the child she’s carrying. It is an incredibly emotional journey.

However, a surrogate mother has to remember not to let this emotional attachment take away the rewarding experience and the happiness she is bringing to a family.

Process of Surrogate Pregnancy- Screening

According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, it is important to give the surrogate mother psychological counseling and evaluation.

Surrogacy agencies in Texas and most other states make it a point to facilitate complete mental health evaluation, including PAI or MMPI testing by a psychologist, to protect the mental health of surrogate women.

Some even have designed thorough processes for screening, comprising support groups that meet monthly and offer psychological support. A team of licensed mental health experts conducts necessary training sessions for surrogate women from when their process begins right till two months post-birth.

These psychological support sessions can be helpful because they involve in-depth discussions with surrogate women.

In addition to the screening processes, the requirements of most surrogacy agencies involve the necessity of raising one’s own children. This requirement ensures that the woman is ready to be matched, has a support system in place, has children, and is financially sound.

The screening process also identifies whether a woman who has a history of postpartum depression, has experienced a loss, or is in a grieving state. This way, they are able to identify that she is not an appropriate fit for surrogacy, saving her and the intended future parents from emotional trauma post-delivery.

Attachment Issues- Are they common in pregnancy?

When you’re trying to decide if surrogacy is right for you, you may also wonder about the attachment issues after delivery too. But the good news is that problems with emotional transfers of surrogate-born babies rarely ever arise.

Post-Birth Period- Managing Emotions

Despite having strong reasons to become a surrogate, arranging for a birthing ball or pregnancy ball, and thinking you’re fully prepared mentally, you may have doubts. After you have delivered the surrogate-born baby, returned them to their parents, and resumed normal life with your family, a final question may remain. Will you share an emotional connection even after the transfer?

The answer to this lies in your relationship with the intended parents. If you think you may not cope as well post-delivery with the emotional transfer, you must work on developing an understanding of the IPs. Some are already concerned about how their surrogate will cope and find ways to give her opportunities to spend time with them in the future.

This opportunity can give the mother a window to see the child she birthed growing while knowing that her role has been fulfilled.

Final Thoughts

Emotional transfers are perhaps the most complicated process of surrogate pregnancy. But due to thorough internal screenings and counseling, it is very rare to see surrogate mothers dealing with emotional transfer issues.

Surrogacy is a life-changing decision; if you require additional assistance with deciding if surrogacy is the right journey for you, feel free to reach out to us.

A Surrogate’s Choice

Choosing Intended Parents for You and Your Lifestyle

Before a Surrogate chooses Intended Parents (IPs), she has a lot of factors to consider. What types of intended parents does she wish to work with? What does she hope to gain by carrying and delivering a child to a couple? Should she go through a reputable agency or contract with individuals?

There are a multitude of questions that a surrogate should consider before choosing the IPs. In fact, these qualifications should be fleshed out before the IP/Surrogate matching process begins!

What is Surrogacy?

Surrogacy is a legal arrangement that is made when a woman agrees to gives birth to one or more children for a person/couple who is unable to have children. The surrogate then gives the child to the IPs after giving birth.

What are Intended Parents (IPs)?

Intended parents are people who cannot conceive on their own and choose surrogacy as a means to have a child.

What is the difference between a Traditional Surrogate and a Gestational Carrier?

A traditional surrogate mother uses her egg, which is artificially inseminated by a sperm donor or biological father, for the purpose of creating a child for the IPs. Shared Conception does NOT facilitate traditional surrogacy arrangements. However, we do facilitate gestational surrogacy arrangements, which is where a woman agrees to carry and deliver a baby that may or may not be related to the IPs. A traditional surrogate is the biological mother of a child, and the gestational carrier is the host for an embryo that is either related to the IPs or an egg donor or sperm donor.

How Does a Surrogate Pick Intended Parents?

There are many qualifications a surrogate should consider when vetting intended parents. But first and foremost: Does the surrogate want to go through an agency or wade through medical and legal waters alone?

I spoke with Shiva Landry, Executive Director of Shared Conception, about the purpose of a surrogacy agency.

“The purpose of a surrogacy agency is to guide both the intended parents and mother through the journey of giving and receiving life. You should ensure that you and the intended parents have matching expectations!

For example:

• Does the couple want to stay in contact after the baby is born?
• Does the couple want to go their separate ways after the baby is delivered?
• What will the ‘hand off’ of the baby be like?
• What are the expectations for both the IPs and the surrogate?

Sometimes surrogates choose intended parents because they know someone who is/or has been affected by infertility via cancer, miscarriages, and other medical issues. Whatever the reason for infertility, many times surrogates factor that into their final decision.

Another issue that faces surrogates and IPs is proximity. Does the surrogate want or need intended parents who live in proximity to her? Would she like to have them present at the doctor visits and delivery?

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Have questions about becoming a surrogate or intended parent? Contact us at Shared Conception. We want to help!

Blog written by: Desiree Dunning