Category: Intended Parenthood

Important Things You Need to Know After IVF

Important Things You Need to Know After IVF

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After an embryo transfer, a lot of tension and anxiety can happen. For first-time surrogates and intended parents, questions begin to linger in their minds – “Should I be on bed rest for the first two or three days?”, “What foods should I eat?”, “How active can I be during the two-week wait, and “Will our surrogate get pregnant?”

These questions are all important to comprehend, and advice can vary from doctor to doctor. The really important thing to remember is that there’s no guarantee of pregnancy through IVF – there are a lot of factors involved in the process.

Some common suggestions recommended by doctors are:

1. No heavy lifting for the first 48 hours after IVF transfer.

2. No strenuous physical activities like running or aerobics.

3. No alcohol, drugs or smoking.

4. No intercourse until a fetal heartbeat is determined.

5. Bed rest for the first two days after the IVF transfer.

It’s very important to remember that these instructions do differ between doctors.

As intended parents, if you want to be more sure that these instructions are followed, it might be helpful to assist – or have someone assist – your surrogate during the first two days after the IVF transfer. Run the errands that the surrogate needs done, prepare meals for her and her family, help with laundry and so forth.
The surrogate is likely to really appreciate your help while she’s on bed-rest, while you yourself would have peace of mind that the surrogate is following her doctor’s instructions.

In most cases, the transfer’s success is known after ten days. On the tenth day after the transfer, the surrogate goes back to the IVF clinic to see if the embryo has implanted into the uterus.

On Day 12 after the embryo transfer, the fertility clinic checks to see if the HcG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) level has doubled – if it has, then the embryo is properly growing.

The In Vitro Fertilization procedure is not 100% successful; not every embryo transfer will result in a pregnancy. In the event that it doesn’t, it’s important not to make any rash decisions until the intended parents have had an opportunity to discuss the outcome with the doctor.

The doctor may have some insight about why the transfer was a failure – poor embryo quality, poor uterine lining or genetic problems are all possibilities.
Surrogacy is never a certain process, and the better you understand it, the better you’ll be able to plan your next steps. Proper medical advice will help the intended parents understand the best way to move forward.

There are a lot of important aspects of surrogacy that need to be properly understood. Knowing them will help intended parents better comprehend the process of surrogacy.

The issue of bed rest after an IVF transfer is still under debate; so far, nothing has been proven. Remember, it’s at the discretion of your doctor to give all the necessary instructions to your surrogate – first and foremost, pay attention to your doctor’s advice.

Your Next Step

To find the surrogate mother that’s right for you and your family, simply fill out our easy free online application and a Surrogacy Agency in Nevada caseworker will contact you within 24 hours (during the business week) to discuss your application, answer any questions you might have, and outline the next steps. And in the meantime, you can also download our free reports to get even more information on surrogacy and the surrogate experience.

8 Important Medical Procedures Involved in Surrogacy

8 Important Medical Procedures Involved in Surrogacy

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Once the legal contract is in place, the surrogate and her intended parents can begin the medical aspect of surrogacy. This can be confusing for first-timers – a good understanding of how these procedures work might give useful insights into what to expect in the surrogacy process.

1. Once the surrogate mother has been matched with her intended parents, she will undergo a full medical examination with a fertility doctor. She’ll have blood drawn to evaluate her hormone levels, and to see if she might have any infectious diseases.

She’ll also undergo a sonohysterogram, which allows the doctor to evaluate the capability of her uterus to carry a pregnancy to term. If the doctor finds cysts, fibroids or endometriosis in her uterus, the process with that particular surrogate may be delayed or cancelled.

2. After all of the results have been assessed and they have met the required standards, the In Vitro Fertilization process can begin. The surrogate mother and intended parent will consult with a fertility doctor, who will guide them through this process.

The intended mother and the surrogate will receive medications – some oral, some injected – that will synchronize their menstrual cycles, stimulate the intended mother’s eggs and prepare the surrogate’s uterine lining to receive the embryos.

3. The eggs are conveyed from the intended mother in a procedure called ‘egg retrieval.’ She’s usually sedated for about an hour while the eggs are harvested.

The eggs are then taken to an embryologist, who combines them with the intended father’s sperm in a laboratory. These new embryos are then cultivated for three to five days.

4. Using a very fine catheter, the cultivated embryos are then transferred into the surrogate’s uterus. The surrogate is awake for this procedure, which isn’t painful. Medications that the surrogate has taken will cause the lining of her uterus to thicken, in order to accept the transferred embryos.

5. The surrogate mother may be advised to rest for approximately 24-72 hours following the embryo transfer, in order to ensure the best opportunity for the embryos to implant in her uterine lining.

6. Ten days later, the surrogate will have a blood test to determine whether pregnancy has been achieved. If the tests are positive, the surrogate will be advised about what further medication or hormone support she’ll need, if any.

7. Once the fertility doctor considers the pregnancy stable – usually after 12 weeks – the surrogate will be referred to her preferred obstetrician for the remainder of the pregnancy and the birth.

8. Until she delivers the baby, the surrogate’s pregnancy will be monitored by an obstetrician. She’ll undergo regular hormone monitoring and ultrasounds to check on the status of her pregnancy.

These are the typical stages in a surrogacy, although it’s important to remember that every journey is different and these steps are only a representative example.

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Ideal Gifts for Your Surrogate Mother

Ideal Gifts for Your Surrogate Mother

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A successful surrogacy journey is, in itself, a gift for everyone involved. But traditionally, gift-giving is a very common custom – many surrogate mothers and intended parents have the desire anyway to give something to the other. It might be a symbol of their friendship, a memento of the experience, or just a thank-you.

The gifts don’t have to be expensive – after all, it’s the thought that counts. Here are some suggestions.

First meeting gifts

One of the ideal gifts to give to a surrogate mother on the first meeting is something personal and home-made – baked goods, for instance.

Another good gift is something for your surrogate’s children; coloring books or small toys might be a good idea.

The really important rule for gifts at the first meeting is that it should be something thoughtful, as opposed to something expensive – really, an expensive gift is only going to make the surrogate uncomfortable.

During the transfer

This is another good time to gift your surrogate. It’s important to remember that the gift should be symbolic of the embryo transfer, or the future pregnancy. Some ideas might include fertility charms, surrogacy T-shirts, maybe pregnancy test kits bundled with pregnancy-related items.

Another angle to take could be paperback novels, DVDs, or a gift certificate to a local delivery restaurant – something to keep the surrogate mother happily occupied while she’s on bed-rest after the embryo transfer.

During pregnancy

Gifts during pregnancy are often a good idea – regularly, on some occasions, or just once.

This is an area where it’s especially important to consider the surrogate’s own personality and needs – some suggestions might be gift certificates at a local restaurant, gift baskets with bath products, or a certificate for a spa treatment.

At birth

This is the best time to give something to your surrogate mother. The gift doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive – it’s more important to celebrate the occasion.

Sentimental gifts – mementos – are the best kind; ‘name a star’, bonsai trees, perhaps an album as a keepsake. Other gifts might include something for her children,or gift certificates that she could use post-pregnancy.

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3 Tips To Consider Before Using A Friend Or Relative As Your Surrogate Mother

3 Tips To Consider Before Using A Friend Or Relative As Your Surrogate Mother

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Being told that you need a surrogate mother to carry your baby is an overwhelming experience. If you are like most intended parents, your first instinct is to ask a friend or relative to be your surrogate. You may think this is the best choice for you since you will feel comfortable knowing that your surrogate is someone that you trust to carry your child, and also because your friend or relative will probably not demand as much money as an unknown surrogate would demand, so you would save money. There some important things to consider before choosing a friend or relative to be your surrogate mother.

3 Tips To Consider Before Using A Friend Or Relative As Your Surrogate Mother

The surrogacy process is long and intense for the surrogate mother. First, she must pass medical tests before the physician will allow her to proceed as your surrogate. Another important screening test that you would have to get your friend or relative to undergo would be a psychological test. This screening test can be a bit difficult to ask from your friend or relative but it is important. The stress and emotional complications associated with the process of surrogacy can take its toll during the journey so it is better to have your friend or relative pass this important test first. Then, she must faithfully follow the complicated fertility procedure instructions, including taking injections and other medications, going to medical appointments and undergoing medical procedures. All of these steps are critical to a successful surrogacy. If your friend or relative does not follow all of the instructions she is given to the letter, the result may be a failed cycle and no pregnancy. When you use a friend or relative as your surrogate, they may not take their responsibilities as a surrogate as seriously as an unknown woman who is being paid to be your surrogate. An unknown surrogate will make sure to act responsibly because she is financially motivated to do so.

If your friend or relative does not meet all of the doctor’s medical requirements for a surrogate, you may request that the doctor allow her to proceed anyway, because she makes you feel the most comfortable and you think she is the most affordable option. While the stipend you would pay to your friend may be less, using your friend as a surrogate mother may end up costing you much more in the long run. If you friend is not medically qualified to act as your surrogate, the chances for a successful pregnancy may be dramatically decreased and you may need to repeat the fertility treatments until a pregnancy is achieved. These treatments are normally very expensive, and you may not be able to afford all of the treatments you need to have before a pregnancy is achieved. Using a friend as your surrogate may end up costing you much more than using an unknown surrogate would have cost you.

If your friend or relative is not medically qualified to be your surrogate mother, you may decide to not use her as your surrogate. This can potentially create a lot of problems in your relationship with her. Perhaps your friend or relative was really counting on the money you would have paid her to be your surrogate and is angry that you are changing your mind. Perhaps she may feel as though she is incompetent or not good enough to be your surrogate mother and feel resentful towards you. You might blame your friend or relative in the event that the fertility treatments fail and be angry with her. You might be resentful of your friend or relative if she insists on being your surrogate despite not being medically qualified since she may be hurting your chances of having a baby.

Getting someone you know involved with your surrogacy journey may seem like a good plan to you. In reality there are very few times when using a friend or relative as a surrogate mother are as low-cost, successful and stress-free as the intended parents had planned. Using someone you know often increases the treatment costs and chances for emotional conflict and decreases the chances of success. It is more preferable to use a surrogate referred by a reliable surrogate agency. Surrogate agencies have pre-screened these surrogates by reviewing their medical records and background history. These surrogates from surrogate agencies are medically qualified to carry a child to term. They are emotionally stable and know exactly what their responsibilities are on your surrogacy journey. To ensure a stress free surrogacy, it would be better to trust surrogacy agencies that know exactly how to support and help you with this journey.

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