Surrogacy is an option if you want to be a parent but can’t carry the baby through the gestation period. Conceive Fertility Center in Irving, Texas, offers fertility treatments that allow you to grow your family with a surrogate. If you’re dealing with infertility, call Conceive Fertility Center or schedule a consultation online today to learn about your fertility treatment options, including surrogacy.
Surrogacy Q & A
What Is Surrogacy
Surrogacy is a type of assisted reproduction in which a woman, who is usually unrelated to either the intended parents or baby, carries the baby in her womb and cares for it until birth.
There are two types of surrogacy.
Gestational surrogacy
In gestational surrogacy, the intended parents provide the egg and sperm or use donor gamete cells. The egg and sperm are joined in an in vitro fertilization (IVF) process and then implanted into the surrogate’s uterus.
Traditional surrogacy
Traditional surrogacy, which is much less common, occurs when sperm from the intended father artificially impregnates the surrogate.
When should I consider surrogacy?
Surrogacy is an option when:
- Your uterus is damaged or scarred, and an embryo can’t implant
- You had a hysterectomy and are without a uterus
- You have a history of complicated and potentially dangerous pregnancies
- You have a health condition that makes pregnancy a risk
Same-sex male couples and single men who want to have a family can also use surrogates to have children using donor eggs.
What is the screening process for surrogates?
Conceive Fertility Center doesn’t work with specific surrogacy groups but coordinates fertility treatments with your surrogate. Most surrogacy agencies require surrogates to have thorough mental and physical health assessments. Additionally, some of the standard requirements for surrogates include:
- Be within a certain age bracket
- Be a nonsmoker
- Have a healthy BMI
- Have at least one prior successful pregnancy
Additionally, with third party reproduction, Conceive Fertility Center follows the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) recommendations. They require all surrogates and intended parents to have psychological evaluations and counseling.
What is the surrogacy process?
Surrogacy uses the in vitro fertilization (IVF) process to fertilize and implant embryos. Once you select your surrogate and complete the necessary screenings and legal contracts, Conceive Fertility Center begins the process.
If you are using your egg cells, you take medication to stimulate ovulation, so you produce more than one healthy, mature egg during your cycle. Conceive Fertility Center monitors your ovulation with blood tests and ultrasounds to identify the ideal day to harvest your eggs through a transvaginal aspiration procedure. At the same time, your surrogate takes hormones to sync her cycle with yours.
Then, after harvesting your eggs, the intended father provides a semen sample (you can also use donor sperm). The eggs and sperm are combined. After a couple of days, when the embryos have developed, your fertility specialist places embryos into the surrogate’s womb, where they hopefully implant into her uterine wall.
Conceive Fertility Center recommends placing several embryos into your surrogate’s uterus to maximize the chances of a successful pregnancy. Any remaining embryos are cryopreserved and stored for future use.
Call Conceive Fertility Center or make an appointment online today to learn about your fertility treatment options, including surrogacy.