How do I become a surrogate mother?
After many years of trying to become parents, and usually after many unsuccessful IVF procedures, one of the choices that many couples and singles think about is surrogacy. Prospective intended parents feel that they have tried nearly everything and the only option they have is surrogacy. Do you want to help some of these intended parents to achieve their parenthood dream? Do you want to become a gestational surrogate? How do you become a surrogate mother?
When you become a surrogate mother, you need to know that the success rate of surrogacy, like depends mainly on the quality and age of the eggs, but also sperm quality or surrogate mother health. This is the reason why you will need to fulfill some common surrogate mother requirements and pass several medical screenings to ensure you are ready to carry a baby without complications.
When you look for intended parents you should ask about the eggs used for the embryo creation. The truth is that our eggs have an expiry date, fertility drops after 35 and by the age of 45 the chance of conceiving with those eggs and a surrogate mother is quite low.
On the other hand, when using a young egg donor and a healthy surrogate the success rate is quite good
Surrogacy is a challenging choice for intended parents and surrogate mothers. As a surrogate mother, you need to prove that are medical, emotional and psychologically ready to carry a baby for some intended parents.
What are the surrogate mother requirements?
There is no official guidance, but in general there are some common surrogate mother requirements for becoming surrogate mother: at least 21 years old, at least one previous healthy pregnancy without complications, network support and a heathy BMI.
What is the medical process for becoming surrogate mothers?
In every surrogacy process, to get pregnant you will need to go through IVF treatment. This medical procedure includes retrieving the eggs (from the intended mother or an egg donor), those eggs will with the sperm of one of the intended fathers (sometimes a donor sperm can be needed), and finally transferring the embryo into the surrogate uterus. This is a typical gestational surrogacy process, but you need to know that there is a second type of surrogacy, traditional surrogacy where your eggs will be used.
As a prospective surrogate mother, you probably are wondering how all will converge. Well, every clinic's protocol is a little different but there are some common steps that usually takes place
- Before your IVF treatment started, probably you will be requested to take birth control pills. This will help the doctor to synchronize your cycle with your cycle intended mother's /egg donor's cycle. In case a fresh cycle will be done, sometimes frozen embryos will be used, and this synchronization is not needed
- Your treatment starts with the first day of your period, taking medication that will prepare your womb to receive the embryos.
- Once your body is ready to receive the embryos the doctor will ask you to go to the clinic or the embryo transfer.
- After the embryo transfer, you will go home
- Two weeks later you will have the beta test
In general, the IVF procedure is not painful but if you are seriously considering becoming a surrogate mother, you need to know that:
· You should meet some surrogate mother requirements
· You need to have daily injections of the hormone medication.
· Hormones might have some side effects.
· You will need to attend several medical appointments
You can learn more about the surrogate mother requirements in: