At HRC Fertility, we firmly believe that “love is love” and that everyone deserves to have a family of their own. Whether you’re a part of the LBGTQ+ community, a heterosexual couple, single male or single female, we can help make your dreams come true. Thanks to the advances in fertility science and technology, we can offer various treatment options that are best for your family and your particular situation.

For the gay men that we help, they don’t have a uterus and a surrogate is an essential part of them becoming a biologic parent using their own sperm. They are also the answer in the situation where the intended mother may have damage to her uterus that makes carrying a child impossible, including uterine cancer, a uterus damaged by infection or congenital uterine abnormalities. Sometimes the health of the intended mother prevents her from carrying a baby or she may have a history of recurrent miscarriages. That’s where surrogacy comes in. A surrogate is a woman who carries and delivers a baby for an infertile couple, and can be a friend, family member or volunteer. All surrogates undergo extensive physical and psychological screening to insure their suitability. The process of surrogacy is emerging as a popular option for helping  couples with fertility issues and people in same-sex relationships have a child of their own.

There are two types of surrogates, traditional and gestational. With traditional surrogacy, the surrogate uses her own egg and the intended father’s sperm to create the embryo. The surrogate undergoes ovulation induction in order to produce multiple eggs, and most often undergoes intrauterine insemination to become pregnant. She then carries the baby to term with the intention of giving the child to the intended parents. Since she has genetic ties to the child, the surrogate must legally forfeit her rights before the couple is able to conceive the child.

With gestational surrogacy, the surrogate is only providing the womb for the embryo to develop into a healthy pregnancy. The intended mother and father undergo a standard in vitro fertilization cycle to create an embryo or embryos with their own genetic material. The reproductive cycles of the mother and the surrogate are synchronized, and the embryo is transferred to the uterus of the surrogate to be carried to term. Since the surrogate has no genetic ties to the baby, the intended parents can receive the child immediately following the birth. Using a gestational surrogate is a great solution for some couples struggling to get and stay pregnant.

So what should you search for when choosing a surrogate? Dr. John Norian, who sees patients at HRC Rancho Cucamonga and HRC Pasadena, says there are several things you want to look out for:

• You want to make sure they are responsible, trustworthy and committed to seeing the pregnancy through completion.
• They need to be extremely healthy and have had a healthy baby before.
•  She should be financially stable. The motivation to do this should come from the genuine desire to want to help you have a family.
• A woman between the ages of 21-42 who is psychologically stable enough to handle this responsibility.
• Someone with a healthy, reliable support system at home to lean on during the process.

There are many important decisions to make prior to choosing a surrogate. You need to understand — and be prepared for — the costs involved for the whole process. You and your partner must also decide whether to use your own egg and sperm, or if you need a donor. You will then choose a clinic that can best address all your needs.

Because there is a wide range of elements to take into consideration, many couples decide to use an agency to help simplify the process.

An agency can help sort through the medical histories of potential surrogates, find answers to questions about the surrogate’s lifestyle, oversee physical and mental screenings, and help guide interview conversations about difficult topics, such as selective reduction in the case of multiple babies. Additionally, an agency can connect you with legal and insurance experts to ensure you are making educated choices. HRC works closely with agencies across the world and can help you choose the right agency for you.

Check out more fertility tips from Dr. Norian, here!

If you’d like more on surrogacy and fertility treatments options at HRC, visit HavingBabies.com or call 866-HRC-4IVF.