Ten Steps for Gestational Surrogacy – Intended Parents

Consultation – Your initial consult; meet Dr Lavy and the Gestation Carrier team. Have your medical records reviewed and make sure that Gestational Surrogacy is the proper treatment for your condition.
Finding a Surrogate – You will be referred to an agency to look for a surrogate. Once a surrogate is identified, NEFI will take over her medical and psychological screening.
Psychological Evaluation – The intended parents meet our counselors. Her extensive experience with Gestational carrier cycles will enable her to advise you and explain what you should expect in dealing with your Gestational Carrier.
Medical Screening – The FDA mandates various infectious disease testing is performed on both intended parents. In addition, the female partner will undergo hormone testing to assess her ovarian function and determine the drug regime for her IVF cycle.
Meet the Surrogate and finalize the plans – The final step, the Intended Parent and carrier meet with the counselor and will accept the carriers at that time
Synchronize Intended Parent and Surrogate Cycles – Usually involves using oral contraceptives.
IVF Ovarian Stimulation/Uterine Preparation – Intended Parent receives medication to stimulate her ovaries while the Gestation Carrier is placed on different drugs to prepare her uterus to receive the embryos.
Egg Retrieval/Fertilization/Embryo Transfer – The eggs are retrieved from the Intended Parent and fertilized with her partner’s sperm. The fertilized eggs are observed in the laboratory for 3-5 days. The Gestational Carrier then is scheduled for the embryo transfer. The final decision as to how many embryos are to be transferred is made jointly by the intended parents and the carrier.
Pregnancy Test – Following the embryo transfer the Gestational Carrier is required to rest for two days and will continue her hormone supplements. A pregnancy test is performed two weeks following the embryo transfer
Discharge to Obstetrician – The carrier is followed for 6-8 weeks by the NEFI team. We make sure that a smooth transition to her OB care is made.