When most intended parents come to us, they have already been fighting their battle against fertility for some time. This was the case with one intended mother that, for privacy, we will call Marie. Marie was in her 40s and had undergone multiple attempts at egg retrieval before finally obtaining two genetically normal embryos. Due to having only two attempts at an embryo transfer, she requested a proven surrogate (someone who had had a successful surrogacy journey in the past). We matched her with a surrogate, who we will call Rachel. Rachel was 26, had one child of her own, and delivered 2 babies through surrogacy for other intended parents. Both of her surrogacy pregnancies were successful after the first embryo transfer and all her deliveries were full-term vaginal deliveries.
Marie and Rachel instantly connected! At a glance, it was perfect, but Marie still struggled to trust someone with the precious embryos that took her so much effort to create. To increase the chance of success, Marie asked the clinic if they could perform a “Mock Cycle”, also known as an ERA (Endometrial Receptivity Analysis). Some intended parents prefer to do an ERA to help determine the optimal protocol for an embryo transfer. The need for an ERA is minimal with proven surrogates as their medical records can show what protocol works best for them. However, to comfort Marie, the clinic obliged. After two weeks of waiting, the results were in. Not only had the doctor performed an ERA, but also a BCL-6 test to test for endometriosis. To everyone’s surprise, Rachel tested positive for the BCL-6 test and the doctor recommended a change in surrogates. Marie was devastated; she had already invested so much in this match, started bonding with Rachel, and was learning to trust her. This is a test that is used for patients struggling with infertility and Rachel had three successful pregnancies and deliveries in the past. There were no other indications that Rachel had endometriosis. Marie had two options in front of her. She could listen to the doctor, break the match with Rachel, and pray to find another surrogate who could match her experience. Or she could listen to our agency who told her that Rachel was an incredible surrogate and, even if she had endometriosis, it hasn’t impacted her fertility in the past. Marie wished she could go back to before she did the ERA so she wouldn’t have to make this decision. She didn’t have any embryos to waste. If she moved forward with Rachel, she needed to trust in her completely. Ultimately, she needed to listen to her gut and her gut told her to move forward with Rachel. As a precaution, the IVF doctor recommended Rachel be treated for endometriosis for three months with Lupron medication before the embryo transfer. That time was a compromise Marie and Rachel were both happy to make.
When the day of the embryo transfer came, the room was filled with nervous excitement. Was this the correct decision? Would the embryo stick? Would all the hope, uncertainty, and dedication pay off? The embryo transfer was a success! It didn’t feel real. Rachel had a smooth pregnancy, which didn’t feel real either. In fact, it didn’t feel real for Marie until earlier this summer when Rachel gave birth to a healthy, full-term baby girl. When Marie held her baby in her arms for the first time and all her dreams came true, it finally felt real. And it was all worth it!
Stories like this could not happen without our incredible surrogates! This is a beautiful story and Rachel is the hero of it. She never gave up on Marie! She agreed to the extra procedure and the extra medications. She gave Marie the space and understanding she needed to make these decisions. We are so thankful for everything she did to help create life for Marie and her baby girl.
