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“Each and every step of the process helped me learn more about myself and what it
means to help others.”
BH |
There are many steps to becoming a surrogate mother in our surrogate program - they may vary slightly based on location, physician, and needs of the surrogate mother and intended parents but below you’ll find a general framework of what to expect as a surrogate mother. And remember, we will be there walking you through each step as you progress through the process to make becoming a surrogate mother as easy as possible.
Step One: The Surrogate Mother Application and Evaluation Process
- Begin by filling out the online surrogate mother application. This application asks about your lifestyle, pregnancy, medical, and work history. It is crucial that you complete the application thoroughly and honestly so that we may get to know you and match you with appropriate intended parents.
- If your application is accepted, you will receive a call from our surrogacy coordinator who will gather more information about you and your family.
- At this point, we ask that you gather your medical records from all previous pregnancies. This can take a while, so you may want to call your OB/GYN and request that records are sent to our office.
Please send all obstetrical records including most recent pap smear to:
ConceiveAbilities
4643 South Ulster Street
8th floor
Denver, CO 80237
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- Upon satisfactory review of OB records our surrogacy coordinator will schedule an in person meeting with you, your husband or partner (if applicable) in your home by one of our mental health staff. This will allow us to get to know you and assist us in finding intended parents that share your expectations.
Step Two: Matching Surrogate Mother with Intended Parents
Once you are accepted into our surrogate mother program, we will provide you with information about our intended parents so that all parties can mutually select who they would like to work with. Once everyone feels comfortable with the profile selection, the surrogacy coordinator will arrange a meeting between all parties to discuss the partnership and expectations. This is one of the most important, crucial and reaffirming steps in the surrogacy journey- establishing a connection between the surrogate and loving intended parents.
Step Three: Surrogate Mother Medical Work Up
You will be meeting with the couple’s physician at their IVF clinic who will speak with you in detail and perform an assessment. The work up varies from clinic to clinic but will often include:
- Vaginal ultrasound (a probe is inserted into the vagina enabling the technician to look at your uterus for polyps, scar tissue, and lining thickness)
- Physical and pap smear
- Hysteroscopy- A procedure where a small camera is placed in the uterus to look at the uterine cavity.
- Medical instruction of the IVF cycle, injections, medication use, and embryo transfer
Step Four: Surrogate Mother IVF Cycle
The IVF nurse will give you full instructions and details about the medications needed, the medical protocol, any restrictions, and expectations. In preparation for your uterus to receive embryos created by the couple:
- You will most likely be asked to take estrogen and progesterone in either patch, pill, suppository or injection form. You may also be asked to take a birth control pill to regulate and synch your menstrual cycle with the intended mom or egg donor.
- You will have an embryo transfer where a small catheter is inserted into your vagina and through to your uterus. The embryos will be placed through the catheter and into the uterus for anticipated implantation.
- You will have your blood drawn and ultrasounds regularly to monitor the progress of the cycle.
Step Five: Surrogate Mother Pregnancy and Delivery!
This pregnancy may be different from your own pregnancies in that it is conceived via In Vitro Fertilization and requires a little more early attention that your past pregnancies.
- You may be asked to have your blood drawn, ultrasounds, or other procedures far more regularly than with “natural” pregnancies.
- There is a possibility of multiples that may require additional office visits, bed rest, or other monitoring.
- This pregnancy is shared with the loving intended parents, and therefore there needs to be ongoing communication about the developing fetus, your health status, needs for support, or other matters.
- You will be participating in support groups that are offered in person and on-line in order to assure that all of your questions are answered and that you have support of other surrogate moms.
- Delivery is a very special time for all involved, therefore our mental health professional will meet with both the gestational carrier and the intended parents to create a birth plan that will attempt to meet everyone’s needs.
If you are ready to start this incredible, life-altering journey to become a surrogate mother, we are ready to welcome you to our surrogacy program.
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