INTENDED PARENT FAQS
WHAT IF AN INTENDED PARENT ONLY NEEDS CERTAIN SERVICES?
An intended parent can choose from our offered services. If the intended parent needs both an egg donor and a gestational surrogate to create embryos and become a parent, our agency can assist them with package services. However, if an intended parent needs only an egg donor, or a gestational surrogate to become a parent, our agency can provide individual egg donor or gestational surrogacy services. We understand that each intended parent has a unique situation, and our agency recognizes that not all intended parents will seek or need both an egg donor and a gestational surrogate to become a parent and our offered services are meant to support the customary third-party reproductive needs of intended parents worldwide.
DO YOU HELP ALL TYPES OF INTENDED PARENTS?
We assist singled or coupled, homosexual or heterosexual, domestic or international intended parents worldwide, with or without medical reason to participate in the process. The three requirements we ask of our intended parents are, that they have a clear criminal history, the financial means to participate in the process entirely, and somone they know and trust to become the legal guardian in the rare event of their passing occurring during the process.
HOW DOES THE MATCHING PROCESS WORK?
First, the intended parent expresses an interest in an available candidate’s profile and requests the agency assist with a potential matching opportunity. The intended parent must provide their completed profile to the agency, so that the agency can share their profile with the available candidate or candidates of interest. If the candidate also finds an interest in the intended parent’s profile, a virtual, telephonic, or in-person meeting will be scheduled, depending on the circumstances. After the meeting has taken place, the parties will be required to provide their feedback to the agency, and confirm or deny a match with one another. If the parties mutually desire to match with one another, the intended parent will then be required to hire the agency for services and secure the match with the candidate. At that time our agency will remove the available candidate from our available database and move forward into the screening process. The screening process will begin shortly afterward and once the parties have signed the legal agreement the IVF cycle can begin, in accordance with legal requirements.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BECOME MATCHED?
Once an intended parent has completed their free consultation with the agency, they will be provided access to the agency’s available database, where they can view profiles of available candidates. If a candidate of interest is readily available, the intended parent can immediately notify the agency and begin completing their intended parent profile, so that the agency can assist the intended parent with a cost-free no obligation potential matching opportunity.
HOW MANY TIMES IS AN INTENDED PARENT REQUIRED TO TRAVEL DURING THE PROCESS?
If an intended mother is providing her own eggs for the process, and embryos have not yet been created, the intended mother will travel for the medical screening appointment and be evaluated by the IVF Physician. Once the intended mother has scheduled her stimulation cycle with the IVF clinic, early ovarian stimulation near her home can begin, and she can expect to travel to the IVF clinic location one week prior to the potential egg retrieval procedure date. This will allow for the actual chosen IVF Physician to complete the ovarian stimulation cycle and retrieval on the intended mother and create embryos immediately afterward, using the sperm of the intended father’s sperm or sperm donor, depending on the situation. The intended parent will not be required to travel again for the process, unless a future fresh IVF cycle is necessary, or the birth of their child is expected. If an intended father is providing sperm for the process, he must travel to the IVF clinic once before the egg retrieval to complete a medical screening and leave a semen sample for use in fertilizing eggs at a later date. All in all, the amount of required and necessary travel is dependent on several factors, and is therefore best answered and explained by our agency during the intended parent’s initial consultation.
WHERE WILL THE BIRTH OF THE BABY TAKE PLACE?
The birth of the baby will take place in a hospital close to where the intended parent’s gestational surrogate resides. The birth will occur in the United States, and at a hospital location which the surrogate’s OB Physician is authorized and permitted to deliver babies.
WILL THE SURROGATE’S NAME APPEAR ON THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE?
In a legally represented gestational surrogacy arrangement, a Pre-Birth or Post-Birth Court Order is obtained which requests and instructs the delivery hospital to list the intended parent’s name or names on the original birth certificate as the rightful and legal parents. Therefore, the surrogate’s name will not appear on the birth certificate for the intended parent’s child or children.
WHY ARE LEGAL AGREEMENTS IMPORTANT IN THE PROCESS?
An intended parent is required to have a separate legal agreement for each arrangement. If the intended parent is participating in the process with both an egg donor and a gestational surrogate, there will be a legal agreement for gestational surrogacy and another legal agreement for egg donation. If the intended parent is participating in more than one gestational surrogacy arrangement, there must be a separate legal agreement for each gestational surrogacy arrangement. The legal agreements serve as a foundation for establishing parental rights, and detail the legal structure, responsibilities, and obligations of the parties. Without a legal agreement, an intended parent is not legally protected and parental rights may not be appointed to the intended parents if the proper legal requirements are not followed.
WHY IS AN AGENCY IMPORTANT?
The assistance of an agency allows for the parties to receive consistent guidance and support throughout their journey. Since agencies specialize in the services they provide, the knowledge and guidance they provide is kept current and up to date, and any industry changes implemented in a timely manner. For many, the assistance of an agency has proven to be invaluable, especially in unsuccessful or complicated situations, when at times it can be much more difficult to support and understand each other. Choosing an agency, provides the intended parent, surrogate, and egg donor with professional management services, guidance, and unbiased emotional support throughout their journey. Our goal is to guide each party through a well-balanced journey, and ensure it is a remarkable one.
GESTATIONAL SURROGATE FAQS
WHAT IS GESTATIONAL SURROGACY?
Gestational surrogacy is a legally recognized process across the United States, in which a healthy woman becomes pregnant through a medical process called In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF), for the purpose of helping an intended parent become a parent. In gestational surrogacy arrangements, embryos are created within an IVF clinic laboratory using the eggs of an intended mother or egg donor, and the sperm of an intended father or sperm donor. The embryo is grown to reach a blastocyst stage, and if requested by the intended parent, genetically tested prior to being transferred into the uterus of a gestational surrogate carrier. Since the embryos transferred into the surrogate are not biologically related to her, and the surrogacy arrangement has been properly legally represented, the surrogate is not considered the biological or legal parent.
IS IT DIFFICULT TO BECOME A SURROGATE?
The decision or choice to become a gestational surrogate is a personal one, and one that each woman should make for herself. It is a big responsibility and should not be taken lightly, as the intended parent is counting on her, and has a great deal emotionally and financially invested in the process. A gestational surrogate should not only be committed to the process, but act responsibly throughout the process, making sure to follow all medical and legal instructions, requirements, and responsibilities.
HOW DOES THE MATCHING PROCESS WORK?
First, the intended parent expresses an interest in an available candidate’s profile and requests the agency assist with a potential matching opportunity. The intended parent must provide their completed profile to the agency, so that the agency can share their profile with the available candidate or candidates of interest. If the candidate also finds an interest in the intended parent’s profile, a virtual, telephonic, or in-person meeting will be scheduled, depending on the circumstances. After the meeting has taken place, the parties will be required to provide their feedback to the agency, and confirm or deny a match with one another. If the parties mutually desire to match with one another, the intended parent will then be required to hire the agency for services and secure the match with the candidate. At that time our agency will remove the available candidate from our available database and move forward into the screening process. The screening process will begin shortly afterward and once the parties have signed the legal agreement the IVF cycle can begin, in accordance with legal requirements.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BECOME MATCHED?
A potential match is initiated when an intended parent expresses interest in an available surrogate candidate’s profile, and requests the agency assist with arrangements for a potential matching opportunity. Once an intended parent has requested a matching opportunity, the agency will contact the available surrogate candidate and provide a copy of the intended parent’s profile for their review. If the surrogate is interested in the intended parent’s profile, the agency will assist with making arrangements for the parties to meet virtually. If the parties mutually agree after meeting weather virtually, telephonically, or in-person to match with one another, the intended parent will complete the remaining steps to secure the candidate, and the screening process will begin shortly thereafter.
WHAT ARE THE STEPS AFTER A SURROGATE IS MATCHED?
Once a surrogate has a confirmed match the screening process will begin. The screening process consists of a psychological and medical screening, an application for health insurance if necessary, and the drafting, review, and finalization of the gestational surrogacy legal agreement between the parties. The entire screening process time varies as it is dependent upon the availability of the surrogate, intended parent and other industry professionals. Once all the steps have been completed, and the legal contract between the parties has been signed and notarized, the surrogate can begin IVF cycle medications to prepare her body for the embryo transfer.
WHERE WILL THE BIRTH OF THE BABY TAKE PLACE?
The birth of the baby will take place in a hospital close to where the gestational surrogate resides. The birth will occur in the United States, and at a hospital location which the surrogate’s OB Physician is authorized and permitted to deliver babies.
ARE THERE ANY HEALTH RISKS TO THE GESTATIONAL SURROGATE?
A surrogate pregnancy has the same risks as any pregnancy, and therefore, just as there are medical risks with any pregnancy there are with a gestational surrogate pregnancy as well. In consideration of potential health risks, and in support of avoiding potential risks to a gestational surrogate is required to obtain an OB clearance letter from their OB/GYN Physician prior to becoming a gestational surrogate.
IS A GESTATIONAL SURROGATE REQUIRED TO TAKE MEDICATIONS?
A gestational surrogate will be instructed by the IVF Physician to take IVF medications to prepare her body for the embryo transfer. and to sustain an early gestational surrogate pregnancy should one occur. Each IVF Physician and clinic has a different IVF cycle protocol, and various forms of medications may be used. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the surrogate to follow the specific instructions provided to her by the IVF Physician, and administer any form of medication prescribed to her by the IVF and OB/GYN Physician.
HOW MUCH COMMUNICATION WILL I HAVE WITH THE INTENDED PARENT?
The form and level of communication between the surrogate and the intended parent varies per arrangement. Regular communication is important during the process and is essential for building a bond between the parties. It is recommended that the parties communicate with one another at least every two to three weeks during the arrangement and with technical advances, this is easily done no matter where the parties are in the world. Often intended parents and surrogates will take advantage of communication applications such as WhatsApp, Skype, FaceTime, Zoom, Skype, WeChat, and FaceBook Messenger. Typically, if a surrogate and intended parent take the time during the screening process to create a connection and bond with one another, the relationship will naturally blossom during the pregnancy, and continue after the birth, forming a special and unique life-long friendship.
WHEN DOES A GESTATIONAL SURROGATE BEGIN RECEIVING PAYMENT FOR HER SERVICES?
A gestational surrogate is entitled to begin receiving payment for her services once both parties have signed and notarized the gestational surrogacy legal agreement. The gestational surrogate will be required to submit to the agency, a request for payment no later than the fifteenth day of each month, and payments will be provided to the surrogate in accordance with the terms listed within the gestational surrogacy legal contract, from an escrow or trust account on behalf of the intended parent.
WHAT ARE THE STEPS ONCE A GESTATIONAL SURROGATE BECOMES PREGNANT?
Nearly two weeks from the date of the embryo transfer, the surrogate will undergo a pregnancy blood test, if this test is positive about two weeks later she will be seen by the IVF Physician and an ultrasound will be performed to confirm a viable pregnancy. If the surrogate is confirmed pregnant through ultrasound, and at least one fetal heartbeat is found, she will be able to begin receiving the pregnancy benefit for a singleton fetus, on the first day of the month, following the ultrasound appointment date. The surrogate will be required and instructed to continue taking certain IVF medications during the early stages of the pregnancy and continue weekly or bi-weekly monitoring by the IVF Physician. Each IVF Physician will monitor the surrogate for a different length of time, some longer than others, and therefore it is imperative that the surrogate schedule her first OB appointment (with an OB Physician accepting of the health insurance plan being used for the surrogacy arrangement) to ensure a lapse in early pregnancy care does not occur. Once the IVF Physician has released the surrogate from care, the surrogate will be seen by her chosen OB Physician for the remainder of the pregnancy. The surrogate will then be required to follow all medical instructions provided and prescribed by her OB Physician and provide the agency and the intended parent, with the full contact details of her chosen OB Physician. The surrogate will be required to provide updates to the intended parent and agency, after her completed attendance at each surrogacy medical appointment. It is important for the surrogate to take excellent care of herself during the surrogate pregnancy, making healthy and safe choices, to ensure her life and the life of the unborn baby are not placed in risk. The additional benefits offered to the surrogate during the pregnancy, are meant to provide her and her family with health, comfort, and lifestyle assistance during the arrangement. Sometime during the second trimester, a legal process referred to as the Pre-Birth Court Order, Parental Establishment, or Parentage Legal process will begin. This is the formal legal process which recognizes the intended parent or intended parents as the rightful and legal parents prior to the gestational surrogate giving birth to the intended parent’s child or children. All gestational surrogates should complete this required process in a timely manner, to ensure that the intended parent is recognized as the legal parent when the birth occurs. Once the Pre-Birth Court Order is obtained, a copy is shared with the intended parent, the surrogate, the agency, and the delivery hospital. This not only allows the intended parents to be recognized as the rightful and legal parents, but also allows the intended parent’s name or names to be listed on the original birth certificate. After delivery, the surrogate can receive any remaining pregnancy installment payments she has not yet received, take time to heal and attend the post-partum check up with her OB Physician.
EGG DONOR FAQS
WHO CAN BECOME AN EGG DONOR?
A willing and fertile young woman between the ages of 20-32, with a normal BMI under 28, who does not smoke or use drugs, and who has no genetic or mental disorders in herself or her immediate family members, and has a flexible schedule to attend medical appointments during the donation arrangement. An egg donor must be willing to legally release all biological and legal rights to any child resulting from the egg donation rrangement, in accordance with the U.S. human tissue donation laws.
WHAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN EGG DONOR?
An egg donor should be honest throughout the process, and should timely attend all doctor appointments during the stimulation cycle, ensuring she follows all instructions, especially medication instructions as provided to her by the IVF Physician. It is important for an egg donor to provide regular updates to the agency, and communicate any contact or health changes, questions, concerns, or complications promptly. She should abide by the medical and legal requirements of the process, as detailed in the legal contract for egg donation and as advised by the professionals assisting her throughout her journey. Each time an egg donor accepts a donation match with an intended parent, a new legal contract will be required.
HOW DOES THE MATCHING PROCESS WORK?
First, the intended parent expresses an interest in an available candidate’s profile and requests the agency assist with a potential matching opportunity. The intended parent must provide their completed profile to the agency, so that the agency can share their profile with the available candidate or candidates of interest. If the candidate also finds an interest in the intended parent’s profile, a virtual, telephonic, or in-person meeting will be scheduled, depending on the circumstances. After the meeting has taken place, the parties will be required to provide their feedback to the agency, and confirm or deny a match with one another. If the parties mutually desire to match with one another, the intended parent will then be required to hire the agency for services and secure the match with the candidate. At that time our agency will remove the available candidate from our available database and move forward into the screening process. The screening process will begin shortly afterward and once the parties have signed the legal agreement the IVF cycle can begin, in accordance with legal requirements.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BECOME MATCHED?
Once an intended parent has completed their free consultation with the agency, they will be provided access to the agency’s available database, where they can view profiles of available candidates. If a candidate of interest is readily available, the intended parent can immediately notify the agency and begin completing their intended parent profile, so that the agency can assist the intended parent with a cost-free no obligation potential matching opportunity.
WILL MY PERSONAL HEALTH INSURANCE BE USED FOR ANY OF THE MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS AS AN EGG DONOR?
An egg donor’s personal health insurance plan should not be used to cover any costs associated with the donation cycle, including prescribed medications and labratory expenses.
WHERE WILL THE BIRTH OF THE BABY TAKE PLACE?
The birth of the baby will take place in a hospital close to where the intended parent’s gestational surrogate resides. The birth will occur in the United States, and at a hospital location which the surrogate’s OB Physician is authorized and permitted to deliver babies.
WILL THE SURROGATE’S NAME APPEAR ON THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE?
In a legally represented gestational surrogacy arrangement, a Pre-Birth or Post-Birth Court Order is obtained which requests and instructs the delivery hospital to list the intended parent’s name or names on the original birth certificate as the rightful and legal parents. Therefore, the surrogate’s name will not appear on the birth certificate for the intended parent’s child or children.
WHY ARE LEGAL AGREEMENTS IMPORTANT IN THE PROCESS?
An intended parent is required to have a separate legal agreement for each arrangement. If the intended parent is participating in the process with both an egg donor and a gestational surrogate, there will be a legal agreement for gestational surrogacy and another legal agreement for egg donation. If the intended parent is participating in more than one gestational surrogacy arrangement, there must be a separate legal agreement for each gestational surrogacy arrangement. The legal agreements serve as a foundation for establishing parental rights, and detail the legal structure, responsibilities, and obligations of the parties. Without a legal agreement, an intended parent is not legally protected and parental rights may not be appointed to the intended parents if the proper legal requirements are not followed.
WILL DONATING, EFFECT MY FUTURE FERTILITY?
Currently there is no medical evidence to support that a young woman’s participation in an egg donation cycle will have an adverse effect on her future fertility. However, in efforts to protect a young egg donor’s future fertility, IVF Physicians will often limit the number of egg donation cycles a young woman can participate in, prior to having children of her own. In support of the protection of an egg donor's future fertility, Origins Surrogacy limits the number of egg donations our egg donors may participate in to four donations. Additionally, during the stimulation cycle and for one month following the egg retrieval procedure, an egg donor will experience increased fertility, and therefore should take extra precautions to prevent a personal unwanted pregnancy from occurring.
IS AN EGG DONOR REQUIRED TO TRAVEL FOR ALL MEDICAL AND LEGAL APPOINTMENTS?
All legal appointments will be held through virtual means and therefore an egg donor is not required to travel to complete the legal requirements of the process. However, due to the intended parents often previously working with fertility clinics close to their own home, or selecting fertility clinics which specialize in third party arrangements, an egg donor is often required to travel for the medical screening appointment which occurs shortly after she has accepted a donation match and is typically performed by the main IVF clinic which the intended parent has selected. In the event the egg donor is required to travel, a local monitoring IVF clinic close to her home will be introduced to the arrangement in efforts to reduce travel requirements and costs. In this event, the egg donor will be seen by the local monitoring clinic from the beginning to the middle of the stimulation cycle, and will then be required to travel to the main IVF clinic’s location for the egg retrieval procedure.
HOW LONG DOES A DONATION ARRANGEMENT LAST?
Typically, once an egg donor is selected and matched, the entire donation arrangement takes three to four months. However, the actual stimulation cycle (start of medications through egg retrieval procedure), only last two to three weeks.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR AN EGG DONOR TO BECOME SELECTED OR MATCHED WITH AN INTENDED PARENT?
Due to the fact that intended parents often seek specific qualities in an egg donor candidate, in efforts to find someone which is a close match to themselves or their preferred family members, some egg donor candidates may never become selected or matched. It is difficult for an agency to know if an egg donor will or will not be selected, as we have not yet met all of our intended parent clients and therefore are not aware of their specific preferences in a donor candidate. For these reasons, it is best that all egg donors ensure they meet industry qualifications, and provide a honest, thorough honest profile, with attractive photographs and a clearly well-answered engaging profile. However, if an egg donor is selected by an intended parent and has accepted the donation match, she can anticipate beginning the screening process shortly afterward.
DOES AND EGG DONOR ALWAYS MEET THE INTENDED PARENT?
If both parties agree, an egg donor and an intended parent may meet one another and share contact details with one another. However, the egg donor candidate has the right to decide what type of arrangement she is most comfortable with, and this information will be detailed within her specific donor profile, to ensure her right to privacy is respected by intended parents. An egg donor can choose between an anonymous or closed arrangement, which does not provide opportunity for the parties to meet, or share identities and contact details with one another. A semi-open arrangement is one which allows the parties to meet virtually or in person, without fully disclosing their full identities or contact details with each other, and will require the assistance and presence of an agency representative for any requested communications between the parties. Lastly, an open or known arrangement, is one which the parties have shared both their identities, and contact details with one another, and have agree to allow and accept direct communicatios without the assistance or presence of an agency representative.