Gestational Surrogacy

Gestational Carrier

A gestational carrier is a woman who becomes pregnant, carries a fetus throughout a pregnancy and delivers the child for another couple. The gestational carrier has no genetic link to the fetus that she is carrying. VCRM coordinates gestational carrier cycles for parents who have a clinical indication for this service. Our Medical Director will determine if a clinical indication exists for the gestational carrier service. Upon the determination for the need for this service, VCRM will coordinate the care of the patient, as well as any potential gestational carriers identified. If an ovum donor is being used, her care and cycle protocol will also be coordinated by our team.

Who is a candidate for GC (gestational carrier)?

Basically any women who cannot successfully carry a pregnancy to term:*

• Women who have had their uterus removed
• Women whose uterus does not function normally
• Women who have had recurrent unexplained pregnancy loss
• Women who have had multiple poor pregnancy outcomes such as second trimester losses and/or very premature births
• Women who have medical conditions for which a pregnancy would put their lives at substantial risk and some have had severe complications resulting from a pregnancy.
  

How does a GC cycle work?

Candidates for gestational carriers either use the eggs of the intended mother or the eggs of an egg donor. The woman supplying the eggs in a gestational carrier case must be stimulated with fertility drugs to produce multiple eggs just like a regular IVF (in vitro fertilization) cycle. These eggs are then removed to undergo IVF at which time the eggs will be fertilized with the intended father's sperm or the sperm of a donor. The developing embryo will be transferred into the Gestational Carrier 3-6 days after the eggs have been retrieved. In the following weeks, the gestational carrier will self-administer hormone shots to help establish and support a pregnancy. If a pregnancy is confirmed, it will be followed weekly with blood work and ultrasounds. Typically the Gestational Carrier will be followed until 9 weeks of pregnancy, at which time she will be discharged to her obstetrician. This entire process will be explained to you in much greater detail before this process is initiated. We have a specialized team that handles all of our Gestational Carrier cases to provide the most individualized care possible.

VCRM is working closely with Diane Hinson, Esq and Linda ReVeal, Esq. Of Creactive Family Connections in Chevy Chase, MD, to find a carrier, organize the screening, negotiate and draft contracts. Both Ms Hinson and ReVeal are attorneys admitted to practice in Virginia and Maryland, and have worked with many clients in the metro DC area. For more information about their practice and services provided, please check their website at www.creativefamilyconnections.com or call (240) 235-6006.

Gestational Carrier Success Rates

We are proud to share with you our results for the 2005 year-to-date results for our Gestational Carrier (GC) program (1/1/05-7/31/07):

We have performed 2 cycles on a patient with Mullerian agenesis (Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome); the first cycle resulted in a biochemical pregnancy, and the second cycle resulted in a healthy pregnancy. Dr Sharara used an improvised egg retrieval technique that will be published in one of the leading Fertility Journals.