When you first start investigating surrogacy, you may be surprised by the number of terms and abbreviations you may not have heard of. Whether you’re considering creating your family through surrogacy or thinking about becoming a surrogate yourself, there’s a lot to learn.
Here’s a quick guide to some of the most common terms:
Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART). It is an umbrella term that covers a wide range of medical procedures that may involve conception, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) and gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT).
Egg retrieval. The process of retrieving eggs from the ovaries for IVF. This is usually done by inserting a needle attached to a catheter through the vaginal wall, guided by ultrasound.
Embryo Transfer. The placement of a fertilized egg outside the womb in the woman’s uterus or fallopian tube.
Embryo. The first stages of fetal growth, are from conception to the eighth week of pregnancy.
Estrogen. A hormone is used in IVF to thicken the uterine lining of the gestational carrier so that the transferred embryos can attach to the uterine lining.
Fertility Specialist. An American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology certified subspecialty for OB-GYNs who receive additional training in reproductive endocrinology (the study of hormones) and infertility.
Gestational Surrogate. A woman carrying a child that she is not biologically related to. Pregnancy is the result of eggs and sperm from the intended parents or donors joined through In Vitro Fertilization. Sometimes referred to as a gestational carrier.
Planting. When an embryo adheres to the lining of the uterus at the beginning of pregnancy.
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). When the eggs retrieved from the ovaries are fertilized with sperm in a lab. Once the embryos have developed, they can be transferred through a catheter into the uterus.
infertility. The inability to conceive after one year of unprotected intercourse (six months if a woman is over the age of 35) or the woman’s inability to carry a pregnancy to term.
Intended parent (IP). The person who wants to create their family through surrogacy. Also called Intended Mother or Intended Father.
Lupron. The drug is used to synchronize two women’s cycles during IVF for either an egg donation cycle or a gestational carrier cycle.
Ovulation Induction (OI). Medical treatment is done to initiate ovulation.
Pre-Birth Order. Court documents are required by some states to be filed by the intended parents’ attorney before their child’s birth to ensure that their names appear on the birth certificate, rather than those of the surrogate parents, declaring the intended parents. parents as legal parents.
Post-Birth Order. In states where the surrogate’s name appears on the birth certificate as the birth mother even though she is not genetically related to the child, the intended parent’s attorney will file an adoption order. This established the IPs as the legal parents of their child and a new birth certificate was issued.
Progesterone. The hormone thickens the lining of the uterus to prepare it to receive the implantation of a fertilized egg. It is also used to prevent the body of the gestational carrier from rejecting the embryos.
Reproductive Attorney. A lawyer specializing in third-party fertility contracts and parentage establishment procedures.
Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE). A physician who specializes in the treatment of reproductive diseases and infertility in both men and women.
Surrogacy Agency. A liaison between pregnant surrogates and the intended parents. The agency will facilitate the match and coordinate medical examinations, legal agreements, and compensation, and handle travel arrangements and other details. They provide support and advice and can answer any questions that arise throughout the surrogacy journey.
If you have any additional questions about the surrogacy journey, contact the care experts at Surrogate Solutions. We’re here to help every step of the way.
We help Intended Parents Create a Happy Family through Egg donation and Surrogacywith the help of caring Egg Donors and Alternates.
Why use an agency?Surrogacy Requirements, Can I be a Surrogate?, Facts about Surrogacy, Information about surrogacy,What our agency can offer you , Surrogacy FAQs, Families that need youLearn more, Apply now.
