Surrogacy
What is Surrogacy & Reasons to Consider Surrogacy?
A surrogate is a woman who carries and delivers a baby for an aspiring parent or couple. There are two types of surrogacy: traditional and gestational.
Types of Surrogacy: Gestational and Traditional
Gestational Surrogacy
The most common form of surrogacy is gestational surrogacy, in which the baby is not biologically linked to the surrogate. In this type of surrogacy, an embryo is created using the sperm from the future father (or sperm donor), and the egg of the biological mother (or egg donor). This embryo is then implanted into the uterus of the surrogate, who will carry the baby to full term.
Traditional Surrogacy
Traditional surrogacy uses the sperm of the intended father to fertilize the surrogate’s egg. The surrogate mother carries the pregnancy to full term, delivering the baby for the parents to love and raise. With traditional surrogacy, the baby is biologically linked to the surrogate mother.
Reasons to Consider Surrogacy
Every year, surrogacy helps thousands of aspiring parents overcome fertility challenges to expand their families. There are many reasons why intended parents may turn to a full-service surrogacy agency, like ELITE IVF, including:
- Limited success with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) or Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART): If you have struggled to conceive through IVF or ART, surrogacy provides an alternative option for you and your family.
- Medical problems or illnesses that affect the health of the uterus: Various issues may occur with the uterus, thereby making it impossible for certain individuals to carry a pregnancy to completion. Medical issues include uterine shape abnormalities, septate uterus, uterine fibroids, uterine scars from infection or surgery, or others.
- Previous surgeries or hysterectomy: If your uterus was removed due to personal or medical reasons, surrogacy can help you fulfill your dream of becoming a parent.
- Conditions that either make pregnancy high-risk or prevent pregnancy: Some conditions that may lead to a high-risk pregnancy include obesity, diabetes, heart or blood disorders, maternal age, or certain sexually transmitted diseases.
- Same-sex couples (primarily males, in conjunction with an egg donor): Surrogacy provides same-sex couples the option to have a family of their own.
- Unexplained infertility: If you and your partner have tried conceiving for 12 cycles and/or have tried IVF unsuccessfully, surrogacy provides you with another option to grow your family.
- Maternal age: After the age of 35, the risk of pregnancy complications begin to increase. For these patients, surrogacy provides an opportunity to have the baby that they have been dreaming about.
Surrogacy: How ELITE IVF Can Help
Surrogacy Program Options
How Surrogacy Works With Elite IVF
Begin your surrogacy journey with ELITE IVF by filling out our online intake form. This enables our team to get a better understanding of your wants and needs in regards to the surrogacy process.
After we receive your online form, we book a complimentary phone consultation with our surrogacy coordinator. Through this meeting, we offer insight into our programs and answer any questions that you may have.
We offer two programs: our Standard Surrogacy Program and our All-Inclusive Surrogacy Program.
Standard Surrogacy Program
All-Inclusive Surrogacy Program
Our all-inclusive surrogacy program provides full-circle support beyond the IVF treatment. This program is ideal if you need more hands-on support throughout the process. This package includes: all of what the standard program offers, as well as the ongoing pregnancy supervision, troubleshooting if challenges occur, ongoing liaison with the surrogate including ensuring her compliance with the program and cooperation throughout the project including:
- Ongoing coordination and care of the surrogate, as well as related logistical and legal matters
- All flights and logistics for the intended parents to visit their surrogate during the pregnancy
- Pre-birth and post-birth accommodation near the designated delivery hospital
- Return travel costs for the parents and their newborn baby
Our all-inclusive program provides you with peace of mind, allowing you the time and space to focus on building your family.
Working with a Surrogacy Agency
- Program Coordinator for overall support and project management
- Medical Coordinator for nursing services required by both the intended parents and surrogate
- Logistics Coordinator to organize flights, accommodations and logistical briefings for both the intended parents and surrogate
- Administrator for billing, legal and paperwork administration
- On-Site Patient Coordinator to escort the intended parents and surrogate to their hotel, clinic and the airport, as well as provide concierge-level support
- General Manager to direct the entire case management team (via the Program Coordinator)
- Private car with a personal chauffeur
Testimonials
During the whole process, the ELITE IVF team was with us and it was clear all the time that they feel as if they are not “doing their job” but treating us like family. We felt that everything was done by an excellent professional team, every step of the way. Clearly, our beautiful kids are thankful for this team for making their delivery possible! We are more than glad to recommend ELITE IVF after a great experience with them.