Compassionate care during the surrogacy process for straight couples

The surrogacy process for straight couples can make dreams of parenthood come true. Whether you have exhausted other fertility options, struggle to carry a pregnancy or have health problems that make pregnancy dangerous, the caring staff at our Northern Virginia fertility center is here to listen to your needs and develop a surrogacy plan that will help you achieve your dreams.

The surrogacy process for straight couples

A successful pregnancy and healthy baby require an egg, sperm and a healthy uterine environment. The surrogacy process for straight couples uses the uterus of a gestational surrogate to carry the baby, but the couple can use their own egg and sperm to create a child that is biologically theirs. They can also use donor sperm or eggs.

A couple who decides to use a gestational surrogate can work with a woman they know or a reputable agency to find the right woman to carry their child. The couple and the surrogate should each retain an attorney who specializes in reproductive rights to discuss the details of the surrogacy arrangement and determine their roles and expectations before entering into an agreement. The surrogacy process for straight couples then proceeds as follows:

1. The gestational surrogate will undergo a physical exam to ensure that she is physically able to carry a pregnancy.
2. Using medications, the surrogate’s uterus will be prepared for pregnancy. Our fertility specialist will prescribe medication to synchronize the mother’s or the egg donor’s menstrual cycle to match the gestational surrogate’s cycle. He will then use fertility medications to stimulate her ovaries to produce eggs. When the eggs have matured, our fertility specialist will retrieve them during a short outpatient procedure.
3. An embryologist will then fertilize the eggs with sperm from the father or a sperm donor.
4. The fertilized eggs develop into embryos. If the hopeful parents desire, our Northern Virginia fertility center can perform genetic screening on the embryos.
5. Our fertility specialist will transfer the embryo that is most likely to result in a successful pregnancy to the gestational surrogate’s uterus and freeze any remaining embryos. The gestational surrogate will carry and give birth to the baby, but the child will belong to the hopeful parents.

A commitment to fertility care

Our full-service Northern Virginia fertility center has years of experience in facilitating surrogacy. Led by Fady Sharara MD, our team guides you each step of the way. We enjoy high surrogacy success rates and offer a Surrogacy Refund Plan to help you feel secure in your decision to partner with us on your fertility journey. To learn more about the surrogacy process for straight couples, schedule an appointment.