Author: John Holihan

What You Need to Know about Known Donors

Anonymity in surrogacy is changing. So, as an intended parent, here’s what you need to know about known donors.

Just like anything in life, the field of surrogacy changes over time. In recent years, one of the most significant changes in surrogacy has been its anonymity.

With the rise of popular genealogy companies like 23andMe and Ancestry, complete anonymity in surrogacy is becoming rarer by the minute. It’s becoming more difficult to remain anonymous because children and intended parents are finding genetic links through these platforms. So, what exactly does this mean for you as an intended parent?

That’s what this article will help you out with. You’ll learn all that you need to know about known donors and anonymity in this detailed guide. You can also get more free information now when you contact us online. We’re happy to help you in whatever way we can.

What You Need to Know about Known Donors

With known donors becoming much more common in the world of surrogacy, some agencies these days are more open about the benefits of a known gamete donor. At-home DNA kits and genealogy websites have rendered anonymity unrealistic. Before then, anonymity was fairly ordinary. But that’s not quite the case anymore.

Today, some children conceived through anonymous surrogacy contact these donors, often without their consent. Because of this, plenty of donor clinics work exclusively with known gamete donors. Although you might be worried about working with a known donor, there are some things you should know that may ease your mind.

Benefits of Working with a Known Donor

To put any potential worries to rest, it could be helpful to outline some of the benefits of known donors. Family lineage remains a popular hobby for people, but it can also play a really important role in the surrogacy world. It provides a crucial piece of the larger puzzle for several reasons.

As a result, working with a known donor has a handful of benefits that you should be aware of:

  • You have better access to your child’s medical history
  • You already know the donor and feel comfortable with them
  • Your child can develop a stronger sense of identity

When you use a known gamete donor, it can be much easier for your child to ask questions and get the answers they need. For instance, they might be able to trace their genetic connections to half-siblings or cousins and build a relationship with them. Or, they could be curious to learn more about their biological history and surrogacy story.

Working with an anonymous donor will make it significantly more difficult for your child to get the direct answers they’re looking for. It’s similar to how scientific research underlies the benefits of open adoption for adoptees, whereas closed adoptions lead to plenty of unknowns and potential insecurities.

That same idea applies to surrogacy, too. Your child will likely have many questions about who they’re biologically related to, especially as they grow older. Working with a known donor can guarantee easier access to the information your child will understandably be curious about.

Understanding Donor Contracts with a Known Donor

One fear some intended parents have is that a donor will change their mind. They’re afraid that the donor will end up wanting to parent the child themselves. But there’s no need to worry. Whether the donor is known or unknown, they will have already signed a donor contract with their clinic.

In the case of using a known gamete donor, they will sign the donor contract with your surrogacy attorney. Your attorney will guarantee that the entire process is fair, legal and ethical. Keep in mind that surrogacy laws will vary depending on what state you live in. So, be sure to do some research beforehand and make sure your attorney understands your local laws like the back of their hand.

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Surrogacy can be a confusing, technical process, so we understand if you have some more questions about using known donors. That’s why our trusted staff is here to help you at any time.

To get more surrogacy information now, you can fill out our online contact form today. We would be more than happy to help you out!

What Is My First Step? The Agency or the Clinic?

What is my first step as an intended parent? Do I l find a fertility clinic or surrogacy agency? This guide explains what to do.

What is your first step as an intended parent? Do you locate a clinic for in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment or try to find a surrogacy agency? We’re here to answer that question for you.

If you want to get free surrogacy information now, then you can contact us online whenever you need us. Our trusted team is always here to support you. In the meantime, though, we’ve put together this guide that explains what your first step should be as an intended parent.

Your First Step in Choosing Surrogacy [What You Need to Know]

You know surrogacy is the right path toward building your family and making your dreams of parenthood a reality. But, what you don’t know is how you begin the surrogacy process. What is that important first step, exactly? When you’re ready to get started, you’ll want to contact a reputable agency like American Surrogacy.

Our agency’s experienced professionals can answer all your questions. We will also determine your needs and preferences for matching with a prospective surrogate. Before you seek out a fertility clinic to undergo the IVF process, you should first work with American Surrogacy and go through our matching services. After all, how would you start IVF without a surrogate? That’s where we come in to help.

Finding a Surrogate Mother with Our Agency

As you might imagine, finding a prospective surrogate alone can be stressful. Fortunately, American Surrogacy has an extensive surrogacy screening process that ensures they are 100% committed to carrying a baby for you. For instance, we require all surrogates who work with us to:

  • Complete thorough background checks
  • Visit an obstetrician to confirm their fertility
  • Fill out social and medical history forms
  • Undergo a home assessment from a licensed social worker
  • Receive a psychosocial evaluation from a licensed psychologist

In other words, you can rest assured that all our prospective surrogates are dedicated to this journey. Before you match with a surrogate, our media specialists will help you create your intended parent profile. This profile showcases who you are. When prospective surrogates view them, they’ll learn about your hobbies and interests, family traditions, why you’ve chosen surrogacy, and so much more.

After they view your profile, you can begin getting to know the surrogate a bit better. Your American Surrogacy professional can arrange a video chat for you all. Here, you can ask them any questions you have and learn more about them as a person.

Also, your professional will mediate this call, and they’ll inform you of any topics to avoid before you speak with the surrogate mother. If you’re ready to move forward and feel like this is the right choice, then let your specialist know! It’s time to move to the next step.

What to Look for in a Surrogacy Clinic

Once you’ve matched with a prospective surrogate mother, your professional will refer you to a fertility clinic. Still, it is ultimately your choice as you decide which surrogacy clinic you’d like to work with.

Keep in mind that you’ll need to research which clinics meet your needs and preferences. No two surrogacy journeys are the same, so it’s important to find a surrogacy clinic that’s best for you. To give you a solid starting point, we’ve listed some key services below that you should keep an eye out for:

When you reach out to these clinics, be sure to ask them all your questions. Their answers will help you determine if the clinic you’re interested in meets your surrogacy needs.

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There’s no doubt that surrogacy is a complex topic, so we completely understand if you have some more questions. American Surrogacy is here for you whenever you need us. To get more free information now, you can fill out our online contact form today. We would love to hear from you!

The Process of Choosing a Surrogacy Professional

When it comes to choosing the right surrogacy professional, it can be hard to know where to begin. That’s why we’ve prepared this helpful guide just for you.

As you begin your search for surrogacy agencies to work with, it can be difficult to know where to start. Finding the professional that’s right for you is one of the most important steps of the surrogacy process. So, how do you know what’s best for you? American Surrogacy is here to help you out with that.

If you want more free information now, then you can contact us online at any time. But, you can continue reading to learn everything you need to know about the process of searching for the best surrogacy agencies.

The Process of Choosing a Surrogacy Professional

In many cases, intended parents and prospective surrogates choose local and smaller surrogacy agencies because they are in their own community. There is an automatic familiarity associated with them. However, local surrogacy professionals often don’t have the resources, skills or knowledge to manage cases effectively.

Typically, a local gestational surrogacy agency will match a prospective surrogate and intended parents, then send them on their way. After this point, they don’t help them anymore, and that’s if they even match an intended parent and surrogate in the first place. This also leads to drastically longer wait times.

On the other hand, American Surrogacy has the knowledge, resources and incredible level of social work experience to manage your case. We can guide you through the process with a commitment to completion. This gives us the lowest wait times and the best chance of matching qualified surrogates and intended parents.

If you want to find “surrogacy agencies near me,” then it’s also worth mentioning that, as a national surrogacy agency, we are licensed to complete the surrogacy process in your state. This also means that we have a national reach, so we provide you with the best possible chance of finding the absolute perfect match for your preferences and needs.

Surrogacy Resources and Services to Look for

While you look for the right gestational surrogacy agency for you, keep in mind that there are essential services and resources that you need. Here at American Surrogacy, we understand what intended parents have been through. Many have struggled with infertility or other issues, and this can be a significant emotional challenge. That’s why we want to help you to the best of our abilities.

On a similar note, we also understand that prospective surrogates want to help intended parents. Our trusted team at American Surrogacy can provide the resources and professional experience to help you achieve your goals. With that in mind, here is how we can help:

  • All intended parents and prospective surrogates who work with us undergo our extensive screening process.
  • We provide emotional support and guidance through each step of your surrogacy journey.
  • Our national outreach efforts give you the best chance to find the perfect match.
  • We act as your case manager throughout the entire surrogacy experience.
  • We refer you to reputable legal and medical professionals to guarantee a legal and ethical process.

We know that surrogacy can be complex and difficult to understand, so that’s why we want to be your guiding hand every step of the way.

Although there are many different surrogacy agencies out there, especially for gestational surrogacy, deciding which one is best for you will require researching and talking to them. Whenever you feel you’re ready to begin the surrogacy process, American Surrogacy is here for you.

Our team of experienced professionals can supply you with all the resources that you need for as smooth and stress-free of a surrogacy journey as possible. To get free surrogacy information now, you can fill out our online contact form today. We are ready to help you out at any time.

Surrogacy for HIV-Positive Couples

If you’re an intended parent with HIV, then can you still have a child through surrogacy? Fortunately, surrogacy for HIV-positive couples is possible.

If you’re an intended parent living with HIV, then you may have some concerns about passing the virus to your child. Maybe you have assumed that you can’t have a biological child, whether through surrogacy or not. Fortunately, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

To learn more about how you can start your surrogacy journey today, fill out our online contact form and get more free information now. In the meantime, though, you can learn all you need to know about the logistics of surrogacy for HIV-positive couples. American Surrogacy is always here to help you out.

HIV and Surrogacy [What You Need to Know]

You know that HIV is transmitted through unprotected sex and various bodily fluids. Because of this, you may think that any form of conception, whether that’s through intercourse or surrogacy, is impossible. However, that is not the case. Advances in medicine have made it possible. Also, if you are HIV-positive, surrogacy is still an option for you.

The surrogacy process does not involve unprotected sex. In gestational surrogacy, the prospective surrogate is not related to the baby they carry. Either using a gamete donor or the intended parents’ eggs and/or sperm, a fertility clinic will create an embryo using those gametes. Once an embryo is created, it will then be transferred to the prospective surrogate’s uterus. This is also known as in vitro fertilization (IVF).

In traditional surrogacy, the prospective surrogate is biologically related to the baby they’re carrying. Through intrauterine insemination (IUI), the prospective surrogate’s own eggs are fertilized using a sperm donor or the intended father’s sperm. So, surrogacy for HIV-positive couples is still possible, whether you want to pursue gestational or traditional surrogacy.

HIV-Positive Surrogacy and Medical Advances

Still, you might be wondering if the baby can catch HIV through your genetics. Fortunately, a medical technique called “sperm washing” has made it possible for you not to transmit HIV to your baby. This is when a medical professional, such as a fertility clinic, collect sperm from an HIV-positive person and separates the sperm from infected cells in seminal fluid. This allows them to use only the sperm cells for the IVF process.

HIV is not transmitted through the sperm itself. Rather, it’s spread through the seminal fluid. A 2016 study found zero transmissions of HIV from 11,585 sperm washing procedures before IVF or IUI in nearly 4,000 women. For maximum safety, your fertility clinic may also require your prospective surrogate to take antiviral medication before the embryo transfer.

Requirements for Surrogacy for HIV-Positive Couples

To ensure that your HIV-positive surrogacy is as safe as possible, you will need to be non-infectious. In other words, you should:

  • Follow your HIV treatment protocols
  • Take medication as directed
  • Have an undetectable viral load for a set number of months (usually six or more)
  • Undergo testing for STDs
  • Speak with your primary care physician

When it comes to creating the embryo for IVF, you will usually provide two or three semen samples for washing. If you need an egg donor, then you can work with your fertility clinic or a gamete bank to find one.

 If you’re married or in a relationship with the intended mother and want to use their eggs, then they will need to undergo egg harvesting to create the embryo.

To work with American Surrogacy, in particular, you will need to meet a specific set of surrogacy requirements. This includes making the necessary emotional and financial preparations in advance.

We would love to help you start your surrogacy journey whenever you’re ready. Surrogacy for HIV-positive couples is possible, and our trusted team would be more than happy to guide you every step of the way. To get more surrogacy information now, you can contact us online at any time. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

Women Empowering Women Through Surrogacy

If you’re thinking about pursuing surrogacy, you likely know how the experience will change your life. But, the process also often empowers the women involved. Read on to hear three empowering surrogacy stories.

Surrogacy can help intended parents build their families and surrogates fulfill their financial goals. But, it’s also important to reflect on how surrogacy helps women empower other women.

A recent BBC article touched on this sometimes overlooked part of surrogacy. The moving stories in the piece inspired us to share some of American Surrogacy’s clients’ empowering stories.

When you work with American Surrogacy, the intended parents and surrogate get to choose to help each other, so you’ll have the opportunity of empowering each other’s lives in distinct ways, too. Contact us if you’re ready to start that journey today. But, continue reading to hear a few empowering surrogacy stories. 

Why People Choose Surrogacy

People choose surrogacy for diverse reasons. Generally, though, intended parents choose surrogacy to have the opportunity to raise a child of their own. And although many surrogates decide to pursue commercial surrogacy to receive fair compensation for their time and service, they also do so to help a person become a parent.

The following stories are kind, loving reminders about how the surrogacy process helps women empower each other to fulfill their family-building goals.

Fran and Gina’s Story

Fran, a mother of two girls through surrogacy, met Gina, the surrogate who delivered her children, on a UK surrogacy Facebook group Gina runs. Gina became a surrogate to help create “a family for someone else” and started the social media group to help women grow their families through surrogacy independently.

In September 2021, Gina noted that her surrogacy Facebook group had more than 1,000 members and that in 2019, independent groups helped intended families have 40 babies.

Empowering Women Through Surrogacy

Fran chose to pursue surrogacy after finding out her cervical cancer treatment affected her ability to carry a pregnancy to term.

“My consultant told me about a woman like me who was now a mum and she was my goal,” Fran said to the BBC. “I want to put my story out there to show others that normal real-life women get through this and take their own baby home.

“I can’t think of a better way of women empowering women.”

Read all of Fran and Gina’s story here.

More Stories of Women Helping Women

The following stories come from women (and their partners) who have worked with American Surrogacy. 

“It Felt More Like a Friendship”

Although Chelsea felt that her family was complete, she loved being pregnant. “I guess that’s where surrogacy started to come into mind,” she said.

Chelsea was excited when she matched with Dave and Melissa and couldn’t wait to get to know them. “We met for the first time through video chat, and we just hit it off so well,” she said.

“You could tell how badly they wanted a baby, and they deserved that. It just felt like a family connection, and it still feels that way.”

Chelsea said her favorite part of the surrogacy experience was seeing the intended parents’ joy.

“I would say my favorite part was seeing how happy Dave and Melissa were when they got to see the ultrasounds of Alden, video chat during doctor’s appointments, hearing his heartbeat, and watching him move around. As a parent, those are really special moments, and I was happy that I got to share that with them.”

“Families are created in different ways,” Melissa added. “To create ours, we had a lot of doctors and a special lady named Chelsea.”

Read all of Chelsea’s story here and Dave and Melissa’s story here.

“Anything That I Wanted, She Wanted”

Lindsey and Shiloh started considering surrogacy after adopting Quinn, their first daughter and then experiencing two adoption disruptions.

They ended up having three embryos left over from their infertility treatments and started to tentatively research surrogacy.

“I was just looking to see what surrogates were available in Kansas, if there were any,” Lindsey said. “I got online and saw that there was a surrogate very close to where my husband and I are both from, and I emailed her, and the rest is history.”

One of the first things that Megan, Lindsey’s surrogate, said to her was: “I’m not in this for the money.”

“When she said that to me, and I knew it was about the connection and giving somebody the gift of life, we had an instant connection.”

Megan added that her surrogacy experience was more than getting pregnant for someone else; it was life-changing.

“I didn’t just have babies for somebody else; I gained an entire family through the whole process,” Megan said. “It was the most rewarding thing in the entire world. I would do it all over again.” 

Read all of Lindsey and Shiloh’s story hereand Megan’s story here.

Ready to Start Your Surrogacy Journey?

Our surrogacy specialists are here to answer any questions you may have about matching with intended parents or a surrogate. And, if you want to hear from someone who has completed a surrogacy journey and understands how empowering it is, contact Alicia today.

How We Reduce Surrogacy Wait Times [In 2 Valuable Ways]

Although gestational surrogacy wait times are increasing at some surrogacy agencies, American Surrogacy’s stayed the same. Continue reading to find out how our agency completes successful surrogacies quickly.

Although surrogacy wait times have increased in recent years, American Surrogacy has maintained our 30 to 120-day intended parent waiting period.

We’re proud that we’ve continued to help families grow quickly and safely by providing care and assistance throughout the surrogacy process for intended parents.

Continue reading to discover why surrogacy wait times exist and how American Surrogacy maintains its predictable intended parents’ surrogacy waiting period. But, you can contact us today if you think you’re ready to start talking to a surrogacy specialist about starting your gestational surrogacy journey.

Why Surrogacy Wait Times Exist

Waiting for anything you’re excited about is challenging. And waiting to start the surrogacy process – and successfully complete a surrogacy agreement – is no different. But, intended parents’ surrogacy wait times are necessary.

Generally, most surrogacy wait times are due to the surrogacy medical process.

The Gestational Surrogacy Medical Process

To better understand the overall length of the surrogacy process, let’s take a deeper look into the steps of the medical process.

Pre-Medical Process Steps

You and the surrogate will undergo thorough screenings to ensure you’re ready for surrogacy and can safely experience pregnancy again. These screenings take time but are routine, so don’t worry too much.

Common surrogacy screenings include:

  • Physical
  • Psychological
  • Medical

Once these screenings are complete, you’ll match with a surrogate. Your surrogacy attorney will then help finalize a surrogacy contract.

Intended Parent Medical Steps

When you reach the medical portion of your gestational surrogacy with our agency, your surrogacy specialist will prepare you for the common medical steps all intended parents go through. Again, try not to stress too much about this process – you will receive support from your care team to ensure everything goes smoothly.

  1. Egg production stimulation: If you or your partner’s eggs are used, you’ll start to take medications to stimulate egg production. Once the fertility clinic determines its time, a minor egg retrieval process will happen.
  2. Fertilization: After eggs are retrieved from you (or your partner or a donor), they are fertilized using sperm from the intended father or sperm donor.
  3. Incubation: After fertilization, the embryos are incubated and assessed for development before being transferred to the gestational carrier.
  4. Pregnancy: After the transfer occurs, a clinic will confirm if there’s a pregnancy. You’ll continue to support the surrogate and share the pregnancy experience.

Surrogate Mother Steps

The gestational carrier naturally has a few more medical procedures to go through. This ensures she and the baby remain safe and healthy throughout the pregnancy.

  1. Fertility medications: These medications increase the chances of a successful embryo transfer.
  2. Embryo transfer: This quick and painless procedure requires a few days of rest post-appointment.
  3. Pregnancy confirmation: A fertility clinic will confirm a pregnancy a few weeks post-transfer.
  4. Prenatal care: This entails OBGYN appointments, medications, and routine procedures to ensure the pregnancy is progressing normally.
  5. Delivery: After the surrogate delivers your baby, you go home as a family to start your parenthood journey.

How We Reduce Surrogacy Wait Times

Although challenging global factors like the pandemic have caused the average intended parents’ surrogacy wait times to increase and the number of surrogates to decrease, our agency’s wait times have held steady.

Because American Surrogacy can provide all the surrogacy services you need in-house, you get to experience a shorter overall surrogacy wait time.

A few of those key services that support shorter wait times are:

1. Matching Services

In addition to having an extensive network of prospective surrogates who live across the United States, we also offer comprehensive matching services.

Our matching services reduce gestational surrogacy wait times by ensuring:

  • Unlimited matching: We provide unlimited re-matching if you experience a surrogacy setback (like an unsuccessful pregnancy or surrogacy interruption). This allows you to restart your surrogacy journey quickly.
  • Smaller surrogate-intended-parent ratios: Our agency has a 1:1 ratio of intended parents to gestational carriers.
  • Pre-match surrogate screenings: All of our prospective surrogates are screened before becoming active. This allows us to present you with a trusted surrogate on day one.
  • Match with someone who holds similar values: You will have the opportunity to match with a surrogate with all the qualities you admire.
  • An extensive network of surrogates: Our surrogates live across the country. We attract many surrogates because of our resources, compensation rates, and more.

2. Surrogacy Resources

Our agency has multiple resources that help reduce surrogacy wait times, too.

These resources include:

  • Nationwide marketing: Our advertising efforts reach surrogates throughout the country.
  • Personal support: Because our agency provides support throughout the entire process, we can find and retain surrogates who are prepared and dedicated to the surrogacy journey.
  • Professional references: Our agency partners with licensed and qualified legal counsel to ensure all aspects of your surrogacy journey are 100% legal and quickly executed.

Start Your Successful Surrogacy Journey Today

Contact us today to find out how we can make your surrogacy dreams a reality.

About the Qualifications for Surrogacy

If you’re wondering about the qualifications for surrogacy, then we’ve got you covered. Here’s all you need to know about becoming a surrogate.

Most surrogates truly want to experience something special. They simply want to help intended parents see their dream of parenting become a reality. If you’re a prospective surrogate, then it’s normal to be curious about the qualifications for surrogacy. So, how do you become a surrogate? And, what do you need to do if don’t meet those requirements at first?

You can work with American Surrogacy to find out exactly what is needed to continue to pursue surrogacy even if you are initially declined. That’s why we’ve created this guide to help you out. Whenever you need us, you can contact us online to get free surrogacy information now.

Becoming a Surrogate [and Making Lifestyle Changes]

As a prospective surrogate, meeting the necessary qualifications is important. But, what happens if you don’t meet them? In certain cases, people can make the needed changes in their lifestyles to become a surrogate. For example, if you are a smoker or have been taking a flagged medication, you can quit either one and, after a specific amount of time, become a surrogate.

In other words, you can still become a surrogate. You are not locked out of this path for good. That’s why it’s crucial to speak with a trusted surrogacy specialist at American Surrogacy to see what your options are. Maybe you’ll find out that, with the proper changes in lifestyle or in general, you can help other people build their family.

The Screening Process [What It Entails]

When you decide to become a surrogate, you will have to go through the surrogacy screening process. We understand that this may sound overwhelming, so we’ll break it down for you below. Even if you’re worried that you may not qualify, that doesn’t mean you can’t give it another go after some time has passed and you’ve made some changes in your life.

Social and Medical History Forms

Following the initial surrogacy application, you will complete the social and medical history forms. On top of these forms, you will also need to provide:

  • A letter of approval from your OB/GYN
  • A copy of your driver’s license
  • Your insurance card and a PDF of your policy manual

Keep in mind that our trusted specialists at American Surrogacy are here to walk you through each and every step of your journey. When you work with us, you are never alone.

Home Evaluation

To make sure that your living environment is healthy for both you and the baby, you will need to undergo an in-home assessment. A licensed social worker will come to your home, ask you some questions and take a look at the house to ensure its safety. They’ll need to speak with all adults living in the home, too. To give you a better idea of what you’ll talk about with them, you’ll cover topics such as:

  • Why you’re pursuing surrogacy
  • Any concerns you have about the process
  • How you’ll look after yourself and your pregnancy

It’s normal to feel stressed out about this step, as it can seem intense at first glance. Your social worker will understand if you’re feeling nervous.  They’re simply making sure that you are prepared and that your surrogacy goes according to plan.

Medical Assessment

As you may have guessed, you will also have to complete a medical evaluation. This is to ensure your physical safety and readiness for the pregnancy and the embryo transfer. Here at American Surrogacy, we abide by the recommendations from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). These guidelines include:

  • Lab testing for blood and urine
  • A letter of approval from your primary care physician
  • A review of your sexual history
  • A physical exam that includes saline infusion sonohysterography (SIS)
  • And more

Remember, if you are concerned that you may not meet the qualifications of surrogacy at first, you can make some alterations in your lifestyle. Once you have waited a certain amount of time, you can try again. If you have any more questions about this, then you can fill out our online contact form to get more free information now. We would be more than happy to help you out.

Pursuing Surrogacy with Family and Friends [Things to Consider]

Is pursuing surrogacy with family and friends an option for you? Here are some things to consider before you move forward.

Surrogacy can be an incredibly personal process. Asking someone to carry your baby requires a lot of vulnerability, so it can feel particularly intimidating to ask this of someone who you’ve never met before. Because of this, you might be considering pursuing surrogacy with family or friends.

But, there are some potential risks of choosing surrogacy with close friends and family members. What are those risks, though? And how can you ensure that your surrogacy process is as stress-free as can be? We have prepared this in-depth article to help you out. You can also contact us online at any time to get more surrogacy information now. In the meantime, you can continue reading to learn what you need to consider before choosing surrogacy with a loved one.

Gestational Surrogacy with Family and Friends [Things to Consider]

As someone interested in the surrogacy process, you simply want to realize your lifelong dreams of parenthood. To make this complex process a bit easier, maybe you’ve thought about pursuing gestational surrogacy with a family member or a close friend. But, the risks of this path may outweigh the initial comforts.

For instance, what happens if something doesn’t go according to plan? Just as the surrogacy journey can be complicated itself, the emotions you will all experience along the way can also be complex. These can range anywhere from joy and excitement to depression and grief.

To avoid the possible pitfalls and lost relationships, working with an agency like American Surrogacy means you’ll have everything that you need for your surrogacy experience. When you work with us, you can match with a well-qualified surrogate or the right intended parents. You can all have a wonderful surrogacy journey together without the risk of damaging significant relationships due to the complex emotions and occasional challenges of the lengthy surrogacy process.

What Is Gestational Surrogacy?

There’s no doubt that surrogacy can be a pretty technical concept. There is a lot of jargon and terminology that you may not know, and that’s completely OK. So, just what is gestational surrogacy? This is a type of surrogacy in which the gestational surrogate, also known as the gestational carrier, has no biological tie to the child that they’re carrying for the intended parents.

When it comes to the types of surrogacy, gestational surrogacy differs quite a bit from traditional surrogacy. In traditional surrogacy, the surrogate’s egg is used to create the embryo. This means that the surrogate will be the biological mother of the baby, so their parental rights will need to be terminated.

IUI vs. IVF [What to Consider]

Another key difference between traditional and gestational surrogacy is that the former uses intrauterine insemination (IUI), whereas the latter uses in vitro fertilization (IVF). These days, gestational surrogacy and IVF are the norm for surrogates and intended parents.

This is a component worth thinking about if you’re choosing surrogacy with a family member or friend. IUI is when the embryo is created using the surrogate’s own egg. On the other hand, IVF is when the embryo is created by the intended parents, and it may require a donated egg or sperm. Once the embryo is created, a fertility clinician will transfer it to the surrogate’s uterus. Keep in mind, though, that this process does have the potential for multiple tries.

Here at American Surrogacy, we exclusively facilitate gestational surrogacies, so IVF is what our intended parents and prospective surrogates will use. Also, because of our matching process, you can all form an amazing connection that lasts a lifetime. In fact, you may discover that you’ve made a new extended family member or a new close friend throughout your journey.

What to Know about Your Matching Process

American Surrogacy is a national surrogacy agency, which means that we coordinate surrogacies throughout the United States. This gives you the greatest chance possible of finding the absolute perfect match. Our national reach ensures that you will reach as many prospective surrogates or intended parents as you can.

Also, our trusted specialists will be there for you every step of the way. When you choose American Surrogacy, you can rest assured that we will find you the perfect match, and your relationships with friends and family will remain as close as they have always been.

If you do decide to pursue your surrogacy journey with a family member or friend, you can feel confident knowing your surrogacy specialist will help navigate any potential challenges, ensuring that you have the best experience possible.

American Surrogacy is the fastest-growing, full-service surrogacy agency in the U.S., and we can guide you through the entire process with the personal attention you deserve.

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Do you have some more questions? We’re here to answer them for you. You can fill out our online contact form at any time to get more free information now. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

When IVF Isn’t Working, Becoming a Parent is Still Possible Through Surrogacy

Are you having a difficult time with IVF? If it isn’t working, then you can still become a parent through surrogacy. We’ll explain how.

You Can Realize Your Dreams of Parenthood

Parenthood is a beautiful journey. You get to watch your child blossom from a baby into a full-grown, wonderful adult, and it’s a fierce kind of love that only you will ever know. Maybe you want to become a parent yourself, but there are complications getting in the way.

You’ve tried in vitro fertilization (IVF), but it just isn’t working. We understand if you’re feeling defeated and upset. This is a lot to go through. Fortunately, though, IVF is not your only option. There is another one that we’re here to tell you about: surrogacy. Parenthood is still possible for you. To learn more, you can contact us online at any time.

What Are the Success Rates of IVF Treatments? [Surrogacy Is Possible]

Today, IVF is a well-known procedure that helps people with infertility issues become parents. It’s becoming more common, but it is also common for people to face challenges with their success rates. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) national statistics from 2018, 50% of IVF attempts are successful for people 35 and under. For people who are 42 or older, the IVF success rate is 3.9%.

In fact, the success rate actually decreases with each successive round. If you have tried IVF several times and it hasn’t worked, then this could be the reason why. But, you don’t have to lose hope. That’s because you can still become a parent through surrogacy.

What Is Surrogacy? [What You Need to Know]

It’s a term you’ve heard every now and then, and you might understand the basics. But, there’s no doubt that surrogacy can be technical and difficult to grasp. So, what is surrogacy? In simple terms, gestational surrogacy is when the surrogate (also known as a gestational carrier) is not biologically related to the baby that they are carrying.

On the other hand, traditional surrogacy is when the surrogate is the biological parent of the baby that they’re carrying. Gestational surrogacy uses IVF, whereas traditional surrogacy does not. In traditional surrogacy, the surrogate’s eggs are fertilized through IUI using sperm from the intended father or a donor. This means that parenthood is still an option through surrogacy.

What Are the Benefits of Surrogacy? [The Advantages of Choosing Our Agency]

Now that you understand what surrogacy is, you may be curious about the benefits of it. As someone considering becoming a parent through surrogacy, you should think about working with American Surrogacy, the best surrogacy agency around. We offer the most comprehensive benefits and services for intended parents like you.

To give you a better idea of why you should work with our agency, here are some of the benefits of surrogacy that we can provide for you:

  • You’ll know that the surrogate can successfully carry the pregnancy: Here at American Surrogacy, we have an extensive screening process that all of our surrogates must undergo.  This ensures that they didn’t have any issues in their previous pregnancies and that their medical history allows them to have another successful one. In other words, you’ll have the best chance possible of becoming a parent through surrogacy with our agency.
  • You can raise a child from birth: Working with American Surrogacy means that you have the opportunity to raise a child from birth to adulthood. You can also be actively involved in the pregnancy and develop a meaningful bond with the surrogate if you want.
  • You can overcome an inability to have children: At our agency, parenthood is always possible. The biggest benefit of choosing surrogacy is that, if you have been struggling with infertility or other complications, you can fulfill your dreams of becoming a parent.
  • You can feel reassured every step of the way: By choosing American Surrogacy, you can rest easy knowing that your trusted professional will be there to walk you through each step of the process. Surrogacy can be difficult to wrap your head around, so that’s why our reputable team will always be there for you.
  • You can develop a relationship with the surrogate: One of our professionals can mediate contact between you and the surrogate, but that doesn’t mean you can’t become close with the surrogate and get to know them better. In fact, you may discover that you’ve made some new extended family through surrogacy.

If you want to get started on this beautiful journey today, then we would be more than happy to help you out. You can fill out our online contact form whenever you’re ready to get in touch with us. With American Surrogacy, you’ll have everything that you need to become a parent.