Couples have more options with surrogacy

At just 28 years old, Nicole Lawson found herself unable to sustain a pregnancy.

While attempting to have a child of her own, she went through four years of procedures such as in-vitro fertilization. She suffered multiple miscarriages only to discover that she had a severe uterine abnormality.

The situation led her and her husband to opt to eventually have two daughters via a surrogate.

Today, Lawson is not only a mom, but the co-owner of Abundant Beginnings Company, a full-service surrogacy agency with locations in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area.

“As for many, my infertility was a dark period in my life,” she said. “For me, surrogacy was the best option because I was able to produce high-quality eggs but simply not able to carry a fetus.”

While the number of families who seek surrogates to carry their babies is hard to gauge, the percentage of couples turning to this option may be on the rise. A 2010 report from the nonprofit Council for Responsible Genetics, citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology, shows the number of babies born via surrogates practically doubled between 2004 to 2008 from 738 to 1,400.

Dr. Wendy Buchi, a San Diego gynecologist and physician partner with IGO Medical Group, said recent data shows roughly 1 percent of those who go through in-vitro fertilization use a surrogate.

Among those who bring babies into the world using surrogates, she said, the majority fall into one of three categories: those who don’t have a functional uterus, such as those born without a uterus; those whose uterus is scarred or damaged from disease; or those who had their uterus removed while fighting cancer, for instance.

There are also women with medical conditions that make it dangerous to attempt pregnancy, including heart defects or certain types of kidney problems, or those on medications that could harm a baby such as chemotherapy for cancer. In addition, there are women who’ve exhausted all other options. These couples often have viable sperm and eggs, but can’t carry a pregnancy to term.

Dr. Buchi said some parents-to-be have a surrogate in mind such as a friend or relative, but most opt to use someone they don’t know.

Saira Jhutty, CEO of San Diego’s Conceptual Options, a surrogacy agency, said to be matched with a surrogate, questions are asked of both parties. Many then meet in person or via Skype, but the majority meet face-to-face.

She said her agency has roughly 30 active surrogates in its database. In general, women who want to be surrogates have already had at least one full-term pregnancy of their own and they must be in good health. They – and their spouses, if they are married – must also be tested for sexually transmitted diseases.

At agencies such as Conceptual Options, Jhutty said only about 4 percent of women who are interested in serving as surrogates are accepted. Before being added to the agency’s database, potential surrogates must also meet with an in-house psychologist for a six- to eight-hour evaluation, and their medical records are sent to an IVF center to be reviewed and screened.

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