Surrogacy: What is Cycling

Are you beginning your journey as an Intended Parent or a Surrogate? Congratulations! This journey will be rewarding, humbling, and bring a beautiful new life into the world. Many people are curious about surrogacy and what the process entails. That’s why we at Simple Surrogacy have decided to educate our readers about the surrogacy process! This blog will look at cycling, what it is, and the important part it plays in the surrogacy process.

What is Cycling?

There are many different steps involved in the surrogacy process. One of these steps is called cycling. Once both the surrogate and the egg donor, whether that is the intended mother or a donor, have completed their contracts and tests, both parties must synchronize their cycles. Their cycles are typically synchronized by using birth control pills. Approximately 14 days into using the birth control pills, both the surrogate and the egg donor/intended parent will usually begin by taking Lupron. Lupron is a medication that is administered under the skin via injection. Lupron shuts down the body’s normal hormone production that is typically used to control the cycle. This helps ensure that the surrogate’s uterus is ready to receive the embryos at the best time for results.

The Surrogate

During this process, the surrogate is typically a week or more ahead of the egg donor/intended parent to ensure that their uterus will be ready when it is time to retrieve and fertilize the eggs. This is due to the fact that the surrogate can be kept in a holding pattern for up to 2 weeks once her uterine lining is at an optimum level. Once the menstrual cycle begins while on Lupron, the dose of Lupron is typically decreased by half. At this point, the surrogate will begin Estrogen replacement in the form of pills, patches, or shots. Some doctors will also ask the surrogate to begin taking Dexamethasone to suppress male hormones, antibiotics to guard against infections and other medications based on the individual.

The Egg Donor/Intended Parent

The Egg Donor/Intended Parent will begin receiving injectable fertility hormones on the third day of her cycle. This will cause her ovaries to be stimulated and lead to them producing several eggs as opposed to the typical 1 or 2. These fertility hormones will continue from anywhere from 7 to 12 days, depending on the individual’s response to the hormones.

It is very important to monitor the donor during this time. They will be checked around 3 times a week via ultrasound and blood tests to determine the response to the fertility hormones. Once the donor’s follicles have reached 18-20mm, the donor will be given an HCG shot. This will induce an LH surge which will help the eggs to mature. Thirty-six hours after the donor receives the HCG shot, the egg retrieval will be performed. Up until this point in the process, the date and the time of the transfer are flexible. The eggs that are retrieved are fertilized with sperm from either the Intended Father or a donor. The fertilized eggs are then incubated for between 2-5 days.

The surrogate typically stops receiving Lupron the day before the egg retrieval occurs. The day of the retrieval, the surrogate starts Progesterone replacement, usually in the form of intramuscular injections but sometimes in the form of 
suppositories 
or 
Crinone
gel. This process continues until the 12th week of pregnancy or until the moment that a negative pregnancy test occurs. Until the placenta takes over hormone production at the 12th week of pregnancy, Estrogen replacement will continue. Since the Surrogate was on Lupron which suppresses natural hormones, they will need to take external sources of hormones to maintain the pregnancy.

Why Choose Simple Surrogacy

If you’re looking for a surrogacy agency, Simple Surrogacy is the perfect choice! We care about our clients, their process, and the journey towards growing their family! There are also several other things that we offer our surrogates, intended parents, and donors, that separate us from other agencies.

Our Staff

Our co-owner and co-founder, Stephanie Scott, is a three-time previous surrogate. Our other co-founder and co-owner, Kristen Hanson, is a three-time egg donor. Our staff is 95% female and is filled with previous surrogates and egg donors. This means that we completely understand and relate to all of your questions, comments, and concerns! We’ve been where you are, and we are more than willing to share our advice and knowledge with you – every step of the way.

Highly Rated

We are rated the most highly among all surrogates having been through an agency journey. We have also been a BBB A+ Rated business for over 15 years!

Compensation

With Simple Surrogacy, all compensation is held in a Bonded Escrow account that is endorsed by Men Having Babies. We also make sure that no permission is required from Intended Parents in order to reimburse or pay our surrogates like other 3rd party escrow accounts. We also do not issue a 1099 to our surrogates, unlike other agencies.

Process

At Simple Surrogacy, we allow our surrogates to choose the Intended Parents first! This way you will have the personal match that you desire in the process!

Support

We offer all of our Surrogates and Intended Parents support. This support is available 24/7 by phone for all of your questions or concerns. Our Program Director, a former surrogate, is also very experienced and available for our clients 24/7.

Bonus

We also offer different bonuses for our Surrogates! You can choose to go on a retreat or a getaway to celebrate the incredible gift of life that you have given others. We also provide our Surrogates with personalized push gifts.

At Simple Surrogacy, we believe that everyone deserves to know the ins and outs of surrogacy before they begin their journey. If you’re thinking about using Surrogacy to grow your family or if you’re thinking about becoming a Surrogate, please contact us today! Our team will be happy to answer all of your questions and ensure that you enter the process educated, excited, and ready!