Surrogacy Process : Step-By-Step Guide for Intended Parents
Surrogacy is arguably the most challenging reproductive technique, but it also offers the most significant rewards to all individuals involved. Knowing how the procedure works and having all the information you require are the keys to a successful and happy experience.
This step-by-step surrogacy process tutorial will go through the fundamental elements of any surrogacy journey. Still, first, you should be aware that certain features, especially the legal requirements, may differ from state to state.
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Is Surrogacy Right for You?
Whether you’re a heterosexual couple, same-sex couple, or an individual looking to become a parent, it’s important to have a solid understanding of the basics of surrogacy and consider your level of commitment before embarking on this fertility journey.
While surrogacy can be a fulfilling experience that leads to the expansion of your family, it requires a significant investment of time, patience, and resources. It’s essential to realize that you may need to put travel plans and other strenuous activities on hold during this time.
The Surrogacy Process is also a significant financial and emotional investment. If you’re considering surrogacy as a parenting option, the first step is to consult with a reputable surrogacy agency, therapist, or lawyer who specializes in this field.
The Surrogacy Process
The surrogacy process typically involves the following steps:
Step 1: Initial Consultation
Once you have decided to pursue surrogacy, the next step is to schedule a consultation with a surrogacy agency or fertility clinic. During this phase, you will meet with a representative who will explain the surrogacy process, provide information on the costs involved, and discuss any legal considerations. The representative will also evaluate your medical history and assess your eligibility for surrogacy.
Understanding Surrogacy: During the consultation phase, the intended parents will meet with a surrogacy agency or fertility specialist to gain a better understanding of the surrogacy process. This may include a discussion of the various types of surrogacy, such as traditional or gestational surrogacy, as well as the legal and financial considerations involved.
Medical Screening: The intended parents and the surrogate will undergo a series of medical screenings to ensure that they are both healthy and able to proceed with the surrogacy process. This may include tests for sexually transmitted infections, genetic conditions, and other health issues that could impact the success of the surrogacy.
Psychological Evaluation: Both the intended parents and the surrogate will undergo a psychological evaluation to ensure that they are mentally prepared for the surrogacy process. This may involve meeting with a mental health professional to discuss the emotional challenges of surrogacy, as well as any concerns or fears that either party may have.
Legal Consultation: Surrogacy involves complex legal considerations, and the intended parents and surrogate will need to meet with an attorney who specializes in surrogacy law to ensure that their rights and obligations are clearly defined. This may include discussions around parental rights, compensation, and other legal matters.
Creating a Surrogacy Plan: Based on the information gathered during the consultation phase, the intended parents and surrogate will work together to create a surrogacy plan that outlines the specific steps involved in the surrogacy process. This may include a timeline for medical procedures, legal agreements, and financial arrangements.
Choosing a Surrogacy Agency: If the intended parents choose to work with a surrogacy agency, the consultation phase may also involve selecting an agency that is experienced in surrogacy and can provide the necessary support and resources throughout the process.
Overall, the consultation phase is an important first step in the surrogacy process, as it helps to ensure that all parties are informed, prepared, and committed to the surrogacy journey.
Step 2: Legal Agreement
The agreement phase in surrogacy process is a crucial step that involves the intended parents and the surrogate mother coming to an agreement on the terms and conditions of the surrogacy arrangement.
This phase involves a legal contract being drawn up and signed by all parties involved to ensure that everyone’s rights and responsibilities are clearly defined. Here are some relevant headings and points to explain the agreement phase in surrogacy process:
Basic Provisions
Choosing a Surrogate
Drafting a Surrogacy Agreement
Legal Representation
Review and Signing of Agreement
Overall, the agreement phase is a critical step in the surrogacy process as it ensures that all parties involved are on the same page regarding the surrogacy arrangement. It also helps to prevent misunderstandings or disputes that could arise during the surrogacy process.
Step 3: Screening
The screening phase involves evaluating the surrogate mother’s medical and psychological health to determine her suitability for surrogacy. This includes assessing her physical health through medical examinations, checking her medical history, and screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Initial Screening: The first step in the screening process is an initial screening, which typically involves a phone or video call with a surrogacy agency or fertility clinic. During this call, the agency or clinic will ask the potential surrogate some basic questions to determine if she meets their initial requirements.
Medical Screening: If the potential surrogate passes the initial screening, she will then undergo a medical screening. This usually involves a physical exam, blood tests, and a thorough medical history review to ensure that she is in good health and free of any medical conditions that could make pregnancy risky.
Psychological Screening: The potential surrogate will also undergo a psychological screening to ensure that she is mentally and emotionally prepared for the surrogacy process. This may involve a series of interviews with a mental health professional to assess her mental health and emotional stability.
Legal Screening: Surrogacy is a complex legal process, and it’s important to ensure that all parties involved are legally able to participate. The potential surrogate will undergo a legal screening to ensure that she understands the legal implications of surrogacy and that she is able to enter into a legally binding contract.
Overall, the screening phase is a critical part of the surrogacy process, as it ensures that the surrogate is physically, mentally, and emotionally prepared for the process and that all parties involved are legally able to participate.
Step 4: Matching
Matching in surrogacy refers to the process of pairing intended parents with a surrogate who will carry their child. This process involves finding a surrogate who meets the intended parents’ preferences and requirements, and who is willing to carry a pregnancy for them.
Intended Parents Preferences: During the matching process, intended parents will provide their preferences for a surrogate. This may include factors such as age, location, medical history, and personality traits.
Surrogate Preferences :- Surrogates may have preferences for the intended parents they work with. For example, some surrogates may prefer to work with a heterosexual couple, while others may be open to working with a single parent or a same-sex couple.
Matching Process :- Once the screening and preference evaluation is complete, the surrogacy agency or independent matchmaker will work to find a compatible match between intended parents and the surrogate. This may involve providing profiles of potential matches to the intended parents, who can then choose the surrogate they feel most comfortable working with.
Building Relationship:- Once a match has been made, intended parents and the surrogate will begin to build a relationship. This may involve getting to know each other through video calls or in-person meetings, and establishing expectations and boundaries for the surrogacy process.
Step 5: Stimulation
Stimulation in surrogacy refers to the process of stimulating a woman’s ovaries to produce multiple eggs for use in the in vitro fertilization (IVF) process. This is an important step in the surrogacy process, as it allows for the creation of embryos that can be transferred to the surrogate’s uterus.
Fertility Drugs: The stimulation process typically involves the use of fertility drugs, which are designed to help the ovaries produce multiple eggs. These drugs may be administered in the form of injections or oral medications, and are typically given over the course of several weeks.
Monitoring: During the stimulation process, the surrogate’s progress will be closely monitored through ultrasounds and blood tests. These tests will help the fertility doctor determine when the eggs are ready to be retrieved.
Egg Retrieval: Once the eggs are mature, the fertility doctor will retrieve them from the surrogate’s ovaries. This procedure is typically done under sedation or anesthesia, and involves using a small needle to remove the eggs from the ovaries.
Fertilization: Once the eggs have been retrieved, they will be fertilized with the intended father’s or donor’s sperm in a laboratory setting. This process may involve traditional IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), depending on the fertility doctor’s recommendation.
Pregnancy Test: Two weeks after the embryo transfer, the surrogate will take a pregnancy test to determine if the transfer was successful. If the test is positive, the surrogate will continue to be monitored throughout the pregnancy by her obstetrician and the intended parents.
Step 6: IVF Egg Retrieval
IVF egg retrieval is a procedure used in the surrogacy process to retrieve eggs from the intended mother or an egg donor for fertilization with the intended father’s or a donor’s sperm. The resulting embryos are then transferred to the surrogate’s uterus for pregnancy.
Preparation for Egg Retrieval: Before egg retrieval, the intended mother or egg donor will undergo ovarian stimulation to produce multiple mature eggs for retrieval. This typically involves taking fertility medications and monitoring the growth of ovarian follicles through ultrasound and blood tests.
Egg Retrieval Procedure: Procedure is a minor surgical procedure that is typically performed under sedation or anesthesia. A needle is inserted into the ovaries via the vaginal wall and the mature eggs are aspirated from the follicles.
Step 7: Embryo Transfer
Once the surrogate’s uterus is ready, the fertilized embryos are transferred using a catheter, which is guided by ultrasound. This is a minimally invasive procedure that typically takes only a few minutes to complete.
Painless Procedure:- The embryo transfer procedure is typically painless and does not require anesthesia. The surrogate mother may experience some mild cramping or discomfort, but this is usually temporary and should subside within a few hours.
After the Transfer :- After the embryo transfer, the surrogate mother will be advised to rest for a short period of time before resuming her normal activities. She will also be monitored closely by her medical team to ensure that the embryo has successfully implanted and that the pregnancy is progressing as it should.
Step 8: Fertilization
After the eggs are retrieved, they are fertilized in a laboratory setting with sperm from the intended father or a donor. There are two main methods of fertilization:
Traditional IVF: The eggs and sperm are placed in a dish and left to fertilize naturally. This method is commonly used when the male partner has normal sperm count and motility.
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI): This method involves the injection of a single sperm into each egg using a fine needle. This technique is used when the male partner has low sperm count or poor sperm motility.
After fertilization, the embryos are allowed to develop in the laboratory for 3-5 days before being transferred to the surrogate’s uterus. During this time, the fertility specialist will monitor the embryos’ development and select the healthiest ones for transfer.
Step 9: Implantation
Once the embryos have been cultured in the laboratory for a few days, the most viable ones are selected for implantation. This typically involves the transfer of one or two embryos into the surrogate’s uterus, depending on the agreed-upon plan. The transfer is usually done using a thin, flexible catheter that is inserted through the cervix and into the uterus. The process is typically quick and painless, and the surrogate can usually resume normal activities soon after the procedure.
Step 10: Pregnancy
After the embryos are implanted, the surrogate will need to rest for a short period of time. She will then be monitored closely for signs of pregnancy, including hormone levels and ultrasound imaging. The intended parents may be involved in the process, attending appointments and providing emotional support to the surrogate.
The surrogate will continue to receive medical care throughout the pregnancy, including prenatal checkups and any necessary medical interventions. It is important for the surrogate to follow a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, and avoiding harmful substances like tobacco and alcohol.
Final Step: Delivery
When it comes time for delivery, the surrogate will give birth to the child. The intended parents may be present for the delivery if they wish, and they will take custody of the child immediately after birth. It is important to note that the surrogate has no legal claim to the child, as the legal agreements established prior to the surrogacy process have already determined parental rights and responsibilities.
After delivery, the intended parents will be responsible for providing care for the child, including arranging for any necessary medical care and legal documentation. The surrogate may also have an ongoing relationship with the intended parents and the child, depending on the agreement made prior to the surrogacy process.
Surrogacy Process Cost
The expenses of surrogacy process may vary based on the procedure and your location. Generally, the costs for a gestational carrier are between $90,000 and $130,000 when you factor in compensation, medical expenses, legal fees, and any other unforeseen circumstances.
Total Remuneration
New surrogates are paid $50,000 basic pay, and seasoned surrogates $60,000 as base compensation. There can also be further charges. For Example:
Additionally fees may be associated with monthly stipends and financial loss health insurance in surrogacy process. You may incur costs in some special conditions like postponed IVF cycles, dilatation and curettage, ectopic pregnancy, fetal reduction, and other unanticipated events.
Screenings
The cost of mental health exams for the expectant parents, the surrogate, and the surrogate’s spouse is approximately $1,000. Prices for both parties’ criminal records checks range from $100 to $400. And medical screening cost depends on the recommendations of the IVF clinics.
Legal Fees
The overall sum here ranges from $8,750 to $11,750. In reality, several legal fees are involved, including:-
Other Additional Cost
It may vary from clinic to clinic. This may include the surrogate’s health insurance which will cost $25,000. Life insurance will cost $500, and hotel stays and travel expenses related to IVF rounds will cost $1,500. Parents can also set up a private health insurance verification ($275).
Conclusion
Surrogacy process is one of the many ways that one can become a parent. It can be a pleasant and rewarding experience, whether you’re thinking about building your own or assisting someone else.
If you think surrogacy would work for your family, consider contacting a local agency to discuss the process, expenses, and other factors that may be unique to your situation.