Surrogacy 101

32 Experts Share Their Number One Tip for Intended Parents Turning to Egg Donation From MySurrogateMom.com

There are so many myths and fantasies surrounding egg donation that you probably know only a few actual facts about the egg donation process.

With its ups and downs, finding the right egg donor can be an emotional roller coaster, but it is a major milestone on the road to creating your family. You need to be ready for the challenges and prepare yourself with some basic information. This is essential for saving time, frustration, and money.

In our latest article, “Tips for Egg Donors,” we collected the best advice for women considering the egg donation process. Now we have asked 32 experts to share their number one tip for intended parents turning to egg donation. 

In this article, you will find the experts’ best tips to help you on this journey and debunk some of those myths and fantasies. Click HERE to read all the tips and advise to help you on your egg donation journey from trusted experts in the field of third party family building!

Gestational Surrogacy and the Medical Protocol (AKA SHOTS) By "Sassy Surrogate" of Colorado Surrogacy

Dear Sassy,
If I become a Gestational Carrier do I have to give myself shots? Why?!? – Concerned about needles.

Dear Concerned,
I know this seems terrifying, and even a little crazy! When I was a gestational carrier I actually gave myself every shot (I may be even a little crazier than most ;-)) but many people have their partner, or a friend give them to them! Honestly, it is really more mental than physical, and once you have a system or routine in place it becomes easier, especially if you remember the goal – baby! So, yes shots are a possibility. There are a few clinics that do the medication cycle without injections, although I would expect to have shots as part of your routine and be pleasantly surprised if you don’t.

Typically, a clinic starts with Lupron (Leuprolide Acetate), a subcutaneous injection that suppresses the ovulation cycle of the Gestational Carrier before transfer. Lupron is administered with a small needle and pretty easy to do since your body has lots of subcutaneous injection sites. The time frame for these shots is typically fairly short, too. The other injection, Progesterone in Oil, is an intramuscular shot that is used to thicken the lining of the uterus and prepare it for embryo implantation. This shot is definitely more difficult and can hurt more because it is intramuscular and there are only a few places this can be administered. This is the shot that is scariest to most, the needle is larger and the pace to administer the medication is slower because of the oil the progesterone is in. The other not so fun part is because there are few places on the body this can be given and as it’s likely you’ll have to do this daily for 10-14 weeks, those sites can become sore. There are all sorts of tips on how to deal with this soreness and the possible resulting knots. Mine are massage the area right after the shot, use a heating pad (I used a portable battery one so I could even heat on the go!), and try to move afterwards to keep the muscle moving. These shots may not be fun but they are important to the process. The medication is meant to prepare your body for the embryo transfer and simulate the hormones your body would produce naturally. If you are wondering more about how these shots are administered http://www.freedommedteach.com/eng/ does a great job showing the process. Always follow your clinic’s instructions on how to administer your medications. As a Gestational Carrier, shots are most likely in your future - Totally worth it!

Dear Sassy,
Ok so there are shots, what other kinds of medications should I expect? What’s the worst part? – Not looking forward to this part

Dear Looking Forward,
Surrogacy is hugely fulfilling, and the journey really is positively amazing. One of the worst parts is the medications, especially the shots. Other kinds of medications you could expect are birth control pills, estrogen patches, oral tablets, vaginal creams, steroids, antibiotics, aspirin, CoQ10, prenatal vitamins and DHA. This is not an all-inclusive list and each clinic or Reproductive Endocrinologist has their own “cocktail” of medications that they use. The medications, kind, and amount also depend on your body and how it responds to the medication in order to make the best environment for the little embryo(s). Typically, medications are started 3-4 weeks before transfer and weaning off of them begins week 10 of the pregnancy, depending on your clinic, doctor, and body. It can be a lot to manage on pregnancy brain, but you can do it!

Colorado Surrogacy [www.coloradosurro.com] loves to support gestational carriers of all types: Sassy, sensational and splendid. Their entire team [https://www.coloradosurro.com/meet-the-staff] loves to provide support and encouragement through journeys of all types.

"Sassy Surrogate" from Colorado Surrogacy Answers Your Questions About Medical Qualifications

Dear Sassy Surrogate

Hi Readers! I’ve received a lot of questions recently from surrogates who are frustrated when they get turned down by a fertility clinic or by an agency for a health issue that doesn’t seem that serious. I really empathize with you. It’s so hard to put yourself out there to do this beautiful, selfless thing for someone else and then be turned down for something outside of your control. It can feel like an unfair judgment on your health or life. But keep in mind that agencies typically only accept a small percentage of candidates, and fertility clinics accept an even smaller percentage. For them it’s about giving intended parents the absolute best chance for a good outcome, so being really picky is part of the process. Your desire to do this for someone else remains beautiful and inspiring, but it might take some time to find the right fit of clinic/agency/IP. Here are a couple of questions on this topic I’ve received recently. Take heart, and keep those questions coming! - Sassy

Dear Sassy: I had a boyfriend 15 years ago who gave me genital warts. I haven’t had a flare-up for 10 years, and my OB has said that it’s not an issue for me when being pregnant or delivering, unless I have a flare-up, and that I can take medications to help prevent a flare. But I’ve recently been denied by a fertility clinic for just that reason. What’s up with that? I am so eager to be a surrogate and I feel really upset about this. – Frustrated in Franktown

Dear Frustrated: That is really frustrating! I get it: a diagnosis of HSV-2 or genital warts isn’t fun, but it’s also not the end of the world. And your OB is right that it is generally very low risk when it comes to being pregnant and delivering. However, it’s also true that fertility clinics can be very strict about HSV-2 and will sometimes deny working with a surrogate who has it. This is because there is a (slight) risk of passing the disease on to a fetus in utero or during delivery. For this reason, some agencies won’t approve a candidate because it’s hard to get a clinic to approve the candidate. There are agencies and clinics that do accept candidates who have had HSV-2, as long as intended parents are aware of the risks. I really hear you. It feels terrible to be turned down by an agency or clinic for something that doesn’t seem like that big of a risk, and it can feel like a judgment. But it’s not at all a judgment call– fertility clinics, agencies and IPs are all working a risk game, and some will take bigger risks than others. HSV-2 isn’t that big of a risk in the scheme of things, and you may find a different clinic or agency that will be less stringent on this particular diagnosis.

Dear Sassy: I have 3 kids, great pregnancies and deliveries with all of them. But during my second pregnancy I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I never had a high blood sugar reading other than the days of the hour glucose tolerance tests, and I never took medication for it. I just ate well and stayed active (like I did with my other pregnancies). A friend of mine who wanted to be a surrogate was denied by an agency for having had gestational diabetes. Now I’m afraid I’ll be denied, but my OB had said it wasn’t a big deal, and that I probably didn’t actually have gestational diabetes. How I do move forward with my dream to become a carrier for another family? – Healthy and Dreaming

Dear HAD: One of the challenges about being a surrogate is that your health history (specifically your written health history, like medical records) is picked over with a fine-tooth comb, and things that wouldn’t normally be a big deal for your own pregnancy become a big deal for a surrogacy pregnancy. Some agencies and fertility clinics will work with surrogate candidates who had diet-controlled gestational diabetes, and some won’t because the risk is greater that you will text positive for gestational diabetes in future pregnancies. As it is impossible to prove that you didn’t have gestational diabetes (though it may be probably in your OB’s eyes), stricter fertility clinics may turn you down, and agencies that work with stricter fertility clinics may turn you down, too. When you start on your journey of finding an agency or self-matching, make sure everyone knows you had a gestational diabetes diagnosis. Some agencies may accept you and just not match you with IPs who are using a more strict clinic. Don’t be discouraged! There is still the chance to find the perfect family to work with. It just might take a little more effort to find the right agency and fertility clinic.

Colorado Surrogacy [www.coloradosurro.com] loves to support gestational carriers of all types: Sassy, sensational and splendid. Their entire team [https://www.coloradosurro.com/meet-the-staff] loves to provide support and encouragement through journeys of all types.