There are many steps involved in the surrogacy process. After the matching has been completed and the legal stage is over, it is time to begin the impregnation process. Keep reading to learn more about what the impregnation process entails!
Once the fertilized embryos have reached the proper stage in their development, one or two, depending on your contract, will be placed in a special syringe that has a thin and flexible catheter at the end of it. This flexible catheter is inserted into the uterine cavity, through the cervix so that the embryos can be placed. On some occasions, an abdominal ultrasound will be used to ensure that the embryos are placed exactly where the physician wants.
Many people wonder about how many embryos are transferred during this process. Most doctors will only transfer between one or two embryos, depending both on your contract and on the embryo quality.
If any of the embryos are unused, they will be frozen for a future attempt. This is done in case a pregnancy doesn’t result from the first attempt with the fresh cycle.
Once the embryo transfer has been completed, bedrest from anywhere between 2 hours and 3 days, determined by your clinic, is required. The physician will advise you of the necessary amount of time for you specifically during your appointment.
After the embryo(s) have been implanted, quantitative Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) levels will be measured 14 days after the eggs have been retrieved. The physician will be looking to see an HCG level of 50 or higher. If the HCG reading is above 200, this usually indicates multiple pregnancies. After this test, the surrogate will have another HCG test two days later to ensure that the levels are rising. These levels should double every two days. If the quantitative HCG test is negative, all external hormones will be discontinued. This will result in a menstrual cycle in approximately 5 days.
If a pregnancy has occurred, an ultrasound will be performed in 6-7 weeks to check for a heartbeat. At 8 weeks another ultrasound will be performed in order to release the surrogate to a regular OB/GYN. The surrogate will also have her hormone levels checked to ensure that they are at the appropriate levels for a healthy pregnancy. When the placenta begins producing hormones, the surrogate will be weaned off of the hormone replacements.
If you’re thinking about using surrogacy to grow your family or if you’re thinking about becoming a surrogate, contact Simple Surrogacy today! Our team of experts will help guide you through the process, from beginning to end. Visit our website today to learn more.
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