Early on, first-time surrogates realize how much detail and care goes into a surrogacy arrangement.
The moment a woman decides to become a surrogate is a time that she will never forget. It will be life-changing because she is about to help make someone’s parenthood dreams finally come true. To become better prepared, here are some highlights on what first-time surrogates should expect.
The Application Process
At a surrogacy agency, the application process is the first step a woman will take. Sometimes she may phone the agency first and speak with an admissions team member to learn more. But really, it’s more common that she submits her application rather than call.
There are many details to the application so be sure to set some time aside to fill it out. An agency will want to know about your general health, your family and number of children, occupation and more.
There are certain things an agency needs to verify. One example is that the applicant is between the ages of 20 to 40. An agency also wants to make sure that a woman has had at least one successful live birth with no complications. Surrogate candidates should also have easy pregnancies and deliveries.
The Screening for First -Time Surrogates
Surrogate candidates are surprised to learn how much screening is involved in the process. It’s because future parents are investing their time, emotion, and money to build their family through surrogacy. They need to depend on a reputable surrogacy agency for qualified surrogates.
Levels of this include the following:
- Passing the interview process
- Undergoing medical and psychological screenings
- Background checks
And more…
Becoming a surrogate takes commitment, dedication, and patience to go through the entire process.
Understanding the Medications
Surrogates at an agency are also called gestational carriers. This means there are no genetic ties to the babies they are carrying.
To prepare a surrogate for an embryo transfer via IVF, she must take medications. While each fertility specialist and IVF clinic are different, most have a gestational carrier begin her medication a few weeks before the procedure.
She’ll have a medication schedule which explains the frequency and how to administer the dose (oral, intramuscular injections or suppositories).
The most common medications gestational surrogates take are estrogen, progesterone, Lupron, baby aspirin, folic acid and prenatal vitamins.
The Legal Contracts
A surrogacy agreement is between the intending parents and surrogate. This contract explains what intending parents would like from their gestational carrier.
For example, her intending parents may only want her to eat organic food. If this is the case, a surrogate must follow those wishes. She’ll also receive compensation for any additional expenses in buying organic.
A surrogacy agreement protects both the future parents and the surrogate – it spells out everything making the arrangement so much clearer for everyone.
To learn more about being a gestational surrogate, please visit Extraordinary Conceptions or call 760-438-2265.
