Before your surrogacy process can begin, we will need to put you through a rigorous screening process to ensure you’re a qualified candidate. This begins with an initial phone call with one of our intake specialists. They will go over basic qualifications and begin the collection process for your medical records from previous deliveries. Our medical records specialists will review your records and once approved, give us the green light to proceed to the next step of the process.
We will then begin the match process to match you with intended parent(s) who need your help to carry their baby (or babies!) to term! (See our previous blog post on a more in depth, behind the scenes look at the matching process!) After a selection has been proposed, you will meet with the intended parents on a video call to get to know them a little bit and see if it’s a good fit for both parties. If all parties agree to work together, we celebrate as we move into the next phase!
*Note*
The intended parents we work with will have already created embryos at a fertility clinic of their choosing. Many of these clinics are in Southern California, but we do have several outside of that area. Where you go for your medical screening and embryo transfer will depend on where your IPs made and stored their embryos. We don’t choose the clinics but do have great relationships with them and your case manager will guide you through all medication regimens, appointments, and the entire process in general. You may have to travel for these two appointments. Your case manager will make travel arrangements for you and your trips will be paid for by your intended parents. Any allowable costs you incur for these appointments will be reimbursed. (Gas mileage, copays, parking, prescriptions, etc.)
Once officially matched, you will begin the medical screening process at the fertility clinic your intended parents have chosen. This involves basic blood work and drug testing for you and your partner if you have one. You will also receive an ultrasound to ensure your uterus is healthy and capable of carrying a pregnancy for the intended family. This will be done during one appointment, with the possibility of follow-up appointments should there be a need, but most likely not the case. Results take up to several weeks, so we try to get this process done as quickly as possible. If everything looks good, you will receive medical clearance! If not, we will work to address any issues that arise to get you healthy and approved.
Once medially cleared, you will enter the legal clearance phase which will involve both parties working with their lawyers to agree on the terms of the surrogacy. We work with amazing lawyers that have your best interest at heart and will ensure contracts include anything that could arise. This is done to ensure that everyone has answers to all questions, and everything is agreed upon. You will have the chance to ask questions and get clarifications before signing any legally binding document. Your dedicated case manager will be available to make sure the process goes smoothly. Once both you (and your partner if applicable) and the intended parent(s) sign the final draft, the lawyers will issue legal clearance to begin the transfer process!
Once your fertility clinic receives the legal clearance, they will create a calendar for you that includes your medication schedule and your transfer date. They will explain everything in detail, but your case manager will also walk you through every step! We are pros and will get any questions answered for you. Your transfer cycle might include pills, injections, or a combination of the two (this is most common.) The injections aren’t fun but they’re usually necessary and you’ll only have to do them for a short period of time! We have lots of tips, tricks, and suggestions to make the injections more tolerable. Injections can be administered by someone else or by yourself. So, if you’re single and worried about how you’re going to do injections, don’t worry! We will help you every step of the way!
After starting cycle medications, you will receive repeat blood work to check hormone levels and at least one more ultrasound to check the thickness of your uterine lining in preparation for the transfer. (If you’re not local to the fertility clinic we will find an outside monitoring clinic to check this. You likely won’t have to travel to the clinic for this ultrasound!) Occasionally we need more time for the lining to thicken, so if that happens, rest assured it’s common and we should be good to go in another week or so! Your doctor may increase your medication or suggest starting a vaginal hormone to help thicken your uterine lining. Your embryo transfer will be moved out accordingly.
The embryo transfer itself takes less than 20 minutes and is virtually painless. The embryo is transferred into your uterus using a very thin and flexible catheter (think IV) and is guided by ultrasound to ensure it is placed into the most ideal position. You will be able to see the embryo in a little air bubble on the ultrasound! Your clinic will give you personalized bed rest recommendations, but you can expect to be on strict bed rest for 48 hours following the embryo transfer. If you travel to your clinic, you will stay in a great hotel until you’re able to travel home to wait for the results!
If the transfer was successful (and sometimes it isn’t and it’s through no fault of your own!) we will soon be able to detect HCG in a blood test. Home pregnancy tests will also work, of course, but we won’t be able to confirm you’re “officially” pregnant until we receive two blood tests to check the rise in HCG level. This is done to ensure the level is rising at an appropriate rate.
After the positive tests you will continue to receive monitoring for the next several weeks until you “graduate” to be able to be seen by your regular OB. Then, the hardest part is over! You will go about your pregnancy like you would normally. Staying healthy, checking in with your case manager regularly. We will be there every step of the way and will even attend milestone doctor appointments with you if we’re able to! You will deliver the baby at a hospital near your home that is in network with your insurance. If you wish the parent(s) to be in the delivery room, they can attend the birth as well! If you prefer it to be just you and your support team, we support you in that decision. You are giving them the most precious gift; the details don’t matter as much as you being as comfortable as possible during the birth! Either way, the intended family will be there to meet their baby and thank you for all you’ve done to help their dreams come true!
After delivery, you will go home to rest and heal. The precious gift you just brought into the world will go home with their family. And we will get the chance to celebrate you for the huge accomplishment you just achieved! We will still be there for you throughout your postpartum period, making absolute sure you have an abundance of emotional support, guidance if you need to navigate your postpartum healing, and ensuring you receive all the compensation you are entitled to. We know it is a massive accomplishment to complete a healthy pregnancy and delivery and doing it to help create someone else’s family is another level of incredible! We can’t wait to cross that finish line with you!
If you are eager to apply, start your initial application here! If you have any questions, please reach out to us at 949-501-3624 or contact@ivysurrogacy.com and follow us on social media @ivy_surrogacy for more informational posts!
