If you decide to take to
the services of a surrogate mother, it is not superfluous
to learn about what is not accepted to be written
on sites of reproductive medicine clinics. So, it is about the most important and at the same time rarely voiced features of
surrogate medicine in different countries.
States with high
living standards: the United States, Czech Republic, UK, etc. It
would seem that the living conditions and way of life in such countries logically
bound to be higher than in the less developed countries. But everything is
rather on the contrary. With the high general level of life, only the least
volatile sectors of the population will resort to such earnings as
childbearing. The same applies to egg donation. People who have a permanent
job, higher education, leading a healthy lifestyle, rarely become surrogate
mothers in the countries with developed economies.
The same
situation is with the countries, where the vast majority of the population
lives below the poverty line. Here you also need to take into account the
endemic poor sanitation, dirty water and soil, the inability to fully fed and
receive medical care.
The ideal option
here is the second world countries, such as Ukraine, Kazakhstan and so on. Fees
for surrogacy compared to the average wage are huge there. Subsistence farming
prevails, so it is displayed on the nutrition. The average women in these
countries have a higher education, a high level of awareness and IQ. It is they
who prevail in the programs of surrogacy.
As for the
United Kingdom, surrogacy is permitted here only on a voluntary basis. It is
assumed that if a woman is ready for you to take this step free of charge, then
you know the mother, as well as her way of life.
The image of
surrogate mother`s life is of great importance, since it is she who carries
your baby his first 9 months of life.
The law allows surrogacy in the UK but it's not regulated the way expected. The surrogate is a legal mom of the baby born. She can change her mind and keep the baby. Even if the baby has different genes!! which is rediculous to me. Moreover, the law clearly states that advertisements of women offering themselves as potential ''wombs for rent'' or published by commissioning parents offering women the chance to become their surrogate mother are forbidden. Doing so is considered a criminal offence! Moreover, surrogacy contracts are not enforced by law, even if you have signed deal with your surrogate. However, the good news is that the British law allows parenthood to be transferred through a parental order or by adopting the child born as a result, depending on the case.
ReplyDeleteThe marital status of the surrogate also matters. These are the two possible scenarios: 1. Married or in a civil relationship. Her husband will be considered the child’s legal father as well, unless the legal rights are transferred to someone else through a parental order or adoption, or if he has not given his permission to his wife or civil partner. 2. Unmarried or not in a civil relationship. The child born as a result will have no legal father or second parent. Allt his makes the process really long and complicated one there! I believe that's why more and more UK citizens come to Ukraine to fulfil their baby dreams.
I've also read the following while doing research~According to the US law, for the Department of State to consider a US citizen parent of the child born by surrogacy, s/he is required to have a biological connection in order to to the child to transmit US citizenship to the child at birth. To sum up, in order to transmit US citizenship to a baby conceived through assisted conception, a US citizen father or mother must be the genetic parent. In the case of the US citizen mother, she must be either the genetic or the gestational and legal mother of the child at the time and place of birth. Please, keep in mind that by gestational mother is the woman who bears the pregnancy and gives birth to the child. You should be aware of the fact that even if local law recognized a surrogacy agreement and found that US parents are the legal parents of a child conceived through assisted reproductive technology, if the US citizen parents are not the biological parents of the child, the child wouldn’t be considered as a US citizen at birth!! The Department is also clear on the fact that children born abroad to foreign surrogates, and are not related to a US citizen parent, can have trouble entering the United States of America, as he/she will not acquire US citizenship automatically at birth!!
ReplyDeleteSounds complicated as well, doesn't it??
We once looked into the process of surrogacy in the US, and found it to be overwhelmingly expensive, which was a factor, unless you have a kind family member or friend that is willing to carry it for you. If things go wrong, such as a surrogate backing out, or unfortunate situations like a miscarriage, you automatically have to pay at least $5k to match with another surrogate and do their health workup through the agency. It just seemed that there were so many costs that could be added at any time, and it seemed so unreasonable that most of that cost was going to the agency or lawyer, rather than the surrogate, who receives on average of $20 – 30k for the pregnancy. What also bothered us was that in some states, surrogate mothers retain a parental right to the child, and can even pursue custody. Even though the embryos placed in the surrogate have both of our DNA, the surrogate mother’s name is on the birth certificate, and then you have to go through the process of adopting the baby in court. The biggest factor of all for us, though, is time. All of the legal paperwork, signing a contract, matching a surrogate, having the surrogate go through the work-up, and so on, and next thing you know, it’s been a year or two since you started the process. Having already put in 7 years, we weren’t willing to wait for an indefinite amount of time again.
DeleteThat's super nice if you're still able to use own egg for ivf surrogacy. This way you'll need to stimulate your ovaries. Then, when multiple egg follicles are mature and anywhere from 18-20 mm in size, the doctor can decide to plan the egg retrieval process. Once that is planned, one final injection of medication is given to trigger the last stage in oocyte, or egg, maturation. Often referred to as a ‘trigger shot,’ human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is typically a one-time IVF shot that is vital to the process and encourages the last stage of maturation for the eggs. It also loosens the eggs from the follicle walls. hCG brand names include Ovidrel, Novarel, and Pregnyl. Timing is everything with the hCG shot, which often times must be administered within a one-hour window. The eggs must be retrieved within 36 hours of the shot. So if you're lucky enough, they'll create some perfect embryos for your cycle. Our clinic also offered using donor eggs if no luck with own eggs. In this case they guarantee at least 3 perfect eggs for the fertilization.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, the most important thing to my mind is to organize the process properly. This means you're sure things will go this and this way. You aren't afraid the surro will keep your baby after the delivery. because she doesn't have right to do this. I absolutely love Ukrainian destination for surrogacy. I believe no other country could offer the same set of services for 30-50k euros. Check out for more details: mother-surrogate.info.
If you're undegoing surrogacy in Ukraine you'll more likely to expect the following. In order to obtain the birth certificate you will need to have your marriage certificate apostilled in the country that issued that marriage certificate. For countries that are not participants of the Hague Convention, abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (Apostille convention) – the marriage certificate should be legalised. Apostille is not the same as legalisation. If the name on your marriage certificate differs in any way from the name on your passport (e.g. there is a middle name on one or not the other, or surnames differ) – you need to obtain an official intermediate document confirming your identity. Failure to provide such document may cause your process delay. Your program coordinator will advise you with all such issues. In order to obtain the birth certificate both intended parents need to be present in the country. The birth certificate will be submitted for apostillation, translation and notarisation.
ReplyDeleteAfter the birth certificate is obtained the embassy process starts.
The clinic provides you full documentary support of the exit process.
The embassy process differs for every country, so the waiting time is different for every particular case Some of the Embassies will require additional DNA test performed on their premises – this additional DNA test is not covered by the clinic. BioTex team is awesome in helping you through all the stages. You're sure to get all legal support with them and finally take your baby home.
oursurrogacyblog.wordpress.com is absolutely awesome for the details of surrogacy treatment for the UK citizens in particular. In brief, surrogacy process in Ukraine goes on like this:
ReplyDeleteInitial consultation. It usually contains the following activities: A set of tests depending on the program (fasting is mandatory). Consultation with a fertility specialist who will be in charge of your program (in case of stimulation you will need to have the transvaginal ultrasound check done). Consultation with a manager who will guide you through the program step by step. Signing of contracts. Before any initial consultation you will receive the Guidelines for the Initial Consultation – failure to follow these recommendations may affect the initial consultation in a negative way. Search & confirmation of a surrogate mother, matching process. Waiting time depends on the type of contact. Stimulation & synchronisation stage (about 2 weeks). The cycle of egg donor or the biological mother is synchronised with the cycle of a surrogate mother. According to your contract you have to follow all doctors instruction. In case of self-treatment or violation of the treatment protocol, the clinic may cancel the cycle and terminate the contract. Fertilization day, embryo transfer – the 2nd visit. In case the biological mother undergoes hormonal stimulation and is being prepared for egg retrieval, the second visit may take up to 10 days. If we are talking about surrogacy using own eggs it is not recommended to leave the same day. Flying the following day is fine.The rules for sperm donation are similar as for the initial consultation – a man needs to abstain from ejaculation from 3 to 5 days before. After fertilisation the embryo development is monitored by embryology unit. The embryo transfer takes place on the 5th day. You will receive the protocol of embryo cultivation and transfer within 3 working days after the embryo transfer. HCG test, pregnancy confirmation. The first ultrasound scan is carried out in 2 weeks after the positive HCG test by the doctor in charge of the program. The report will be send the same or the next day after the check.
Pregnancy monitoring. Delivery. Obtaining of the birth certificate for the baby (up to 1 week).
Opting for surrogacy in Ukraine is relatively affordable. Some of Ukrainian clinics have all-inclusive plans at £32k -50k. In the clinic where we are currently undergoing DE ivf, this sum of money covers absolutely everything outside of the plane tickets. They offer transportation, food, accommodation. They offer all things that involve IVF for you if you are using your own eggs, surrogate screening and medical costs, and birth at the hospital for the same cost! It is also the same price if you choose to use donor eggs instead. I believe this is a nice back-up plan to have if sth goes wrong. I've never seen this kind of all-inclusive plan anywhere else. In other words with all the services they guarantee you a baby. Even if the first surrogate doesn’t work out, they will try again and again with another using your frozen embryos until they are successful. We have already encountered couples who chose Ukraine purely for the guarantee factor of a baby. Though it may sound strange. (For ex., we have signed the guaranteed package of 5 ivf shots with donor egg for 9900 EUR. In case they fail, they'll refund all money paid back!!) Also Ukraine seems to be one of the fewest places where the laws favor the intended parents rather than a surrogate. Under Ukrainian law, the baby is yours from the moment of conception. Once the baby is born, the birth certificate is issued with your names.A surrogate can't claim any rights. Lastly, the procedure in Ukraine is time-wise. Pregnancies usually start right after embryos are create because many women participate in surrogacy there.
DeleteI have found that this subject is a tough one to talk to people about. It isn’t widely accepted for everyone. Just like IVF 15 years ago was still only whispered about DE is there now. But it’s definitely making progress by people being open and talking about it. Dh wasn’t really on board for adoption. So we never let this thoght go – Using donor egg. I was afraid that every time someone said the baby looked like him that I would just lose my mind. For dh when the psychiatrist said that we were just borrowing cells to get things started he was all in. As for genetics our doctor did offer that should we want to have more than one that DE could help in the future. (To have a genetic sibling.) I can’t say that I don’t think about it most days. But I made sure that my baby and I will have an emotional attachment. I don’t regret our descision at all. And we will do it again if we’re successful with this round. Time will show.
ReplyDeleteHere's a couple of things to share. It is illegal in the UK to pay a surrogate more than basic expenses for her service. BUT it's a criminal offense to advertise that you are looking for a surrogate mother. Or that you're willing to act as a surrogate mother. The restrictions make surrogacy in the UK legal, but also quite difficult to manage. UK laws may seem outdated given the medical advances, especially in comparison to similar laws in more “surrogacy friendly” countries. For example, UK laws do not support commercial surrogacy contracts. As a result parental rights are given to the surrogate when the baby is born. And she is entitled to ask for custody. Court orders can protect the genetic parents but require legal expertise. Anyway, an overview of surrogacy rights are available on the internet. To be not this near to the hassle we applied for surrogacy in Ukraine, Biotexcom. The process went fast and smooth for us. Soon we were nursing our precious twins. (Success from shot#1. Donor egg used)
ReplyDeleteI'm for surrogacy too. For the intended parents who cannot produce their own embryos and/or carry their own babies to term, surrogacy can be faster and better option to get a baby than adoption. Many couples spend years and tens of thousands of $$$ trying to adopt. And this is often just luck of the draw. If you use a surrogate who has a successful track recors of producing live births and use embryos from proven egg/sperm providers this can give you a 60% or better chance of having a baby within the next 15 months. (Rough statistics but it does make sense!) An additional benefit may be for some ladies when your surrogate is in the last few months and is exhausted, you’re not pregnant and can enjoy work or travel. For more affordable prices try looking onto European countries. Wish you good luck with your choice!
DeleteIf after many IVF attempts with own eggs and donor eggs a woman hasn’t achieved a successful pregnancy yet, they may suspect that there exists some kind of immunological or blood clotting problem that prevents embryo implantation. My advice is that you ask your OB/GYN for the possibility of being tested for immunological and blood clotting problem.
DeleteAs regards the natural pregnancy you were able to achieve and led to miscarriage (If you could see the sac with no embryo inside.) it is likely that it was an anembryonic pregnancy. It normally occurs when the embryo has developed some kind of genetic abnormality. With donor eggs, the chances for the embryo to have a genetic abnormality are almost non-existent. The problem, thus, might lie in your endometrial lining and/or the response of your body to the embryo implantation process or the pregnancy itself.
Have you considered using a surrogate? Recurrent IVF failure is an indication for surrogacy. Although it is not a decision that can be made hastily.
Surrogacy is an incredible process. It has the ultimate power to create a family, one of the greatest enjoyments. It’s an enriching experience for both the family and the surrogate. It’s really hard to quantify the endless supply of virtues it provides. Surrogacy allows those who cannot have children to do just that. For various reasons, couples or individuals may not be able to have children on their own. Whatever obstacle a couple may face on their journey to creating a family, with the help of a surrogate and/or an egg donor, anyone can have a child. Surrogacy allows many intended parents to share a genetic tie with their child. It can lead or not to a lifelong relationship between the surrogate, the intended parents and the child. I believe it's rather a personal decision. Surrogacy is often a better option than other fertility treatments. It also has a higher success rate than other fertility treatments. Finally surrogacy provides a rewarding experience for both the family and the surrogate. So noone can judge people undergoing it. We have right to do everything we can to become happy with our kids.
ReplyDeleteSurrogacy situation in the US is quite intricate by all means. If one looks into the process of surrogacy in the US he'll find it to be overwhelmingly expensive - $60 – 150k!! Which is a factor for the majority of couples (Unless you have a kind family member or friend or sb else who is willing to carry it for you..) Also there are two sides of the coin. For ex., if things go wrong, such as a surrogate backing out or a miscarriage, you automatically have to pay at least $5k to match with another surrogate. (And do their health workup through the agency.) That's why it seems that there are so many costs that can be added at any time! Also for me it's so unreasonable that most of that cost is going to the agency or lawyer, rather than the surrogate. On average, a surrogate receives $20 – 30k for the pregnancy. What also bothers much is that in some states, surrogate mothers retain a parental right to the child!! They can even pursue custody!! Even though the embryos placed in the surrogate have both of your DNA, the surrogate mother’s name is on the birth certificate! Then you have to go through the process of adopting the baby in court. The biggest factor of all is undoubtedly time. All of the legal paperwork, signing a contract, matching a surrogate, having the surrogate go through the work-up, and so on, it’s been a year or two since you started the process. So it's not a good variant to have after putting in years, as noone is willing to wait for an indefinite amount of time again. That's why I'd recommend looking onto European countries. For ex., Ukraine is one of the popular surrogacy destinations..
ReplyDeleteEuropean countries either prohibit surrogacy or allow surrogacy agreements only the surrogate is unpaid. For those countries that allow surrogacy the laws typically give all parental rights to the surrogate. This is so until a court process can transfer the rights from her to the IP. In these countries the surrogate has the right to keep the baby if she chooses. But this will never happen in Ukraine. Surrogacy there is well regulated. Surrogacy contracts are considered enforceable under legislation. Under Ukrainian law, the child belongs to IP from the moment of conception. Once the baby is born, the birth certificate is issued with the names of the IP. SM is not awarded any parental rights. She has no standing to keep the baby or claim any rights. This is true even if there were no biological relation between the child and IP. In this and other cases their names remain on the birth certificate.
ReplyDeleteUkainian surrogates are between 25-35 years old. A SM is a natural mother of at least one child. She's mentally and physically capable of becoming a SM. The marital status of the surrogate is irrelevant. All you need to do is to chose the best SM for you and sign a legal agreement with your SM. I'd also recommend reading oursurrogacyblog.wordpress.com to everyone considering surrogacy in Ukraine. Hope this contributes to the discussion.
You may consider surrogacy if you have medical problems with your uterus. For example, you had a hysterectomy that removed your uterus.
ReplyDeleteYou face conditions that make pregnancy impossible or risky for you, such as severe heart disease. You may want to think about surrogacy if you tried but couldn't get pregnant with a variety of assisted-reproduction techniques, such as IVF. At Biotexcom there are no age limits. Only the health ones. For sure, Ukraine has become extremelly popular for surrogacy within years.
The thing which bothers the most is that in some countries/states the surro is considered to be the legal mother of the child born. And that no contract will make you safe if it happens she'll want to keep the baby after delivery. We wanted to avoid all those complications, so turned to the options in Ukraine. Here the IP are the only legal parents of the baby. Just from the moment of conception! The surro has no standing right for the baby. So you'll have your mind at peace nothing of such kind will happen in this country.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree!! Ukraine is a country with optimally balanced legislation. Relationship to the child is determined by the father of the child. According to the same principle executed documents to the baby. The cost of surrogate motherhood EUR 30 000. The price unlike in the US include the risks (including cesarean), food, accommodation, transportation, translator, and so on. The procedure for registration of a child is very simple: for most of the cases, passport for the child is given in Ukraine, in some cases it is necessary to draw up documents in their own country. The queue moves quickly due to a good mix of "supply and demand". The average wait time varies from 1 month to six months.
ReplyDeleteSurrogate mothers in Ukraine have no rights on the child. As a rule, parent of the child is indicated by the biological father who provided the sperm. That's why for the program of surrogate motherhood in Ukraine can go only married couples. And for the same reason Ukraine do not cooperate with homosexual couples. Mother will be register as a parent if her egg been used instead of donors. List of documents for the the registry office:
ReplyDeletea statement of the spouses parents;
birth certificate;
a notarized statement of agreement of a surrogate mother to record the spouses parents of the baby;
Information about the genetic relationship of the child's father;
Parent’s passports;
Parent’s marriage certificate;
Register office is not allowed to ask for:
the contract between the genetic parents and the surrogate mother (it’s a confidential document);
surrogate mother’s presence while child registration;
appeals to the guardianship.
Hope this helps.