Medication Side Effects in Surrogacy

• The key takeaway is that side effects from surrogacy medications vary widely, requiring personalized medical consultation.

• Amanda from Bright Futures Families emphasized that side effects depend on individual responses and specific medications used in IVF 

• • She advised surrogates to consult both their OB and reproductive endocrinologist for tailored guidance 

  • The variability in medication types and personal reactions means no one-size-fits-all answer exists 

  • Understanding medication impact is crucial for managing health throughout the surrogacy process 

  • This approach ensures intended parents and surrogates make informed decisions based on expert medical advice

Hey, everyone, this is Jennifer White, CEO of Bright Futures Families Surrogacy, with this week's Ask Question, which is:  What if the embryo transfer isn't successful?

And this is such a hard question because we all, of course, this is what we built for. Everybody wants it to be successful. My first thing I would say is always everybody on both sides, intended parents and gestational carriers, allow yourself the time and the space to grieve, because this is not the outcome that anybody wanted and nobody should expect that. You just pick right back up with a chipper, happy face on either side. Right? Gestational carriers are just as disappointed in disappointing intended parents as intended parents are disappointed that this didn't work. And so both sides really need to grieve, whether it's separately or whether you want to support each other.
I think nobody should feel obligated to support each other through that though, and each person should be able to grieve in their own way. Beyond that, the actual logistical nuts and bolts, which I think is what was actually being asked, is that generally people try again, assuming that there are more embryos. Usually people try up to three times, usually within about a year to 18 month period, and they keep going and hopefully there is a success. Generally if the first one isn't successful, generally the second one is. No promises ever. But usually statistically by that second one, things really work. So. So if the first one doesn't, please, please allow yourself the space to grieve. It's normal. But pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and everybody is really excited to sprinkle that fairy dust and try again.

Psychological Support Services

• Bright Futures Families provides continuous psychological support and community connection for all participants.

• Bright Futures Families offers ongoing monthly psychological support and access to support groups for both intended parents and gestational carriers, ensuring sustained emotional care throughout their journey 

• • This support helps maintain mental well-being during complex surrogacy processes 

  • The monthly format creates consistent opportunities for participants to share and receive guidance 

  • Ashley emphasized inclusivity, covering both intended parents and carriers equally 

  • This approach aims to reduce isolation and foster a supportive community environment

• Hi, this is Danielle Gage, Case Manager at Bright Futures Families Surrogacy, with today's Ask Question. And the question is: Do you have tips for the shots I have to do as a surrogate?

   

  That is an excellent question. And I will admit at first those shots can be very intimidating. But as someone who has done this process several times, I can give you a few tips to make them a little easier. For progesterone and oil shots, that medication is very thick, so it really helps if you warm the medication slightly before injecting it. That will help it flow more smoothly and just make it go in a lot easier. You can also apply ice to the area to help numb the spot that you're injecting beforehand. After you've done the injection, you could try massage or use a worn compress to distribute the medication.

  
  Because it's so thick, it really helps by doing that to reduce soreness and hopefully helps prevent any lumps that you might get. You should also be rotating injection sites to help avoid bruising or tenderness. And remember that it's totally normal to ask for help. You can always reach out to your clinic or your agency case manager to ask for help. And honestly, many partners become pros at giving injections as well. If you want to ask your partner for help, you've got this. I promise. It really does get easier with time. And really after you get past that first one, it's a lot easier. Thank you for your question.

Janelle Ibarra with Bright Futures Families Surrogacy.  Here are the top three things I wish I had known before I became a surrogate, before I continue. Our agency, our surrogacy agency, Bright Futures Families, answers these questions a couple times per week. And so you should go follow our social media pages so that you can get the most up to date information every week.

Callie Megel, Intake Coordinator at Bright Futures Families Surrogacy, here for Ask Question. And today's question is: What is the typical process during the time directly after baby is born?

Well, that's the end goal right? So that's celebrated. That's amazing that you've made it this far. The process is really quite simple. If delivery went great, hopefully you get to go home soon on the doctor's releases but you kind of just go home and relax and return to your daily life. It might involve some pumping and managing that but usually the case managers from the agency really take care of you and making sure that you are well supported. They do look into making sure all those bills are paid through, you know if it's coming from your OB or the hospital but that's pretty much the process.
Usually, you go home and intended parents go home with baby and hopefully it's happy, healthy everyone. But if there's any complications you reach out to your case manager directly and they will handle it all.

Surrogacy Commitment and Intentions

• The team confirmed that 99.9% of surrogates do not want to keep the baby, emphasizing strong commitment to the surrogacy process. 

• Amanda explained that surrogates are motivated by the goal to create joy and bring life, not personal gain. 

• Intended parents seek to welcome the child and then return to their normal lives, highlighting clear role expectations. 

• This insight helps reduce fears driven by negative media stories, reinforcing trust in the surrogacy process. 

• Understanding this high commitment rate supports marketing and counseling strategies aimed at intended parents and surrogates.

• Infertility Awareness and Support

  • The discussion highlighted that infertility affects a significant portion of the population, emphasizing the need for supportive services.

  • Infertility impacts roughly one in six people, representing millions of families worldwide, which frames the scale of the issue Danielle addressed 

  • • This prevalence shows infertility is common rather than rare, breaking stigma around the topic 

    • Danielle stressed infertility is not shameful, encouraging open conversations and support 

    • The message sets the foundation for outreach and service development in fertility support 

    • Recognizing wide impact helps the business prioritize empathetic communication and resource allocation

  • Surrogacy was presented as a key path to parenthood offered by the organization, inviting engagement from both prospective parents and surrogates 

  • • This dual-focus approach broadens market reach and potential service users 

    • Danielle’s invitation to connect signals active recruitment and community-building efforts 

    • Positioning surrogacy as a supported option aligns with business goals to expand client base 

    • This framing supports long-term growth through relationship development and trust-building in the fertility space

Hi everyone. Ashley Old, Case Manager with Bright Futures Families, here with your Ask a Surrogate Expert question. This week's question is how much does _surrogacy cost and why? Surrogacy usually costs between 175,000 to 200,000, covering surrogate pay, legal, medical insurance and agency support. Clinic fees are separate. It's a huge investment, but it ensures everyone is fully supported and cared for throughout the journey. Thanks for the question.

We are always happy to send people in directions of non profits and fertility related charities that might fit them really well that need volunteers. So if you ever want to reach out, ask us. We're happy to individualize any suggestions to you.

Hi Janelle Ibarra, Social Media person here at Bright Futures Families, here for Ask a Surrogacy Expert. Who can be in the delivery room during a surrogacy birth? So there are a couple pieces to this. The first piece being it's going to depend on who is decided during the matching process and legal contract piece. So sometimes the intended parents request that they can be in there. The second piece to consider is that different hospitals and birthing places have different policies and so the number of people who can be in the room may vary.

Delivering a surrogacy birth at home is generally not feasible, prioritizing safety due to potential complications.

If I’ve had an abortion, can I still be a surrogate?

• The main update confirms that having had an abortion does not disqualify someone from being a surrogate, provided it is not the most recent pregnancy.

• Amanda clarified the policy that surrogates can have had an abortion before but not as their latest pregnancy.

• Medical records must be collected to check for any complications such as significant blood loss.

• This ensures the surrogate’s health status is clear and safe for the process.

• The guidance supports expanding the surrogate candidate pool without compromising medical safety.

• The surrogate’s time off for medical appointments is managed through a combination of personal leave and compensation structured in the gestational carrier agreement.

• Surrogates must attend multiple appointments including medical screening, embryo transfer, monitoring, and OB visits throughout the pregnancy 

• Clear legal review of lost wage clauses is critical to avoid surprises during the surrogacy journey 

Hi everyone. Ashley Old, Case Manager with Bright Futures Families, here with your Ask a Surrogate expert question. This week's question As a surrogate, how am I paid and how often? Great question. As a surrogate, once pregnancy is confirmed, you're typically paid in monthly installments. You will also receive additional payments for specific milestones and expenses along the way. Thanks for the great question.

• The main point is that clients can work with Brightff.com families even if they already know their gestational carrier or intended parents.

• Jenn explained the Indy Match program allows independent matches while still providing full agency support from screening through birth.

• • The agency handles all medical screening for the carrier just like in the full-service program.

  • Support continues from the moment of matching until after the baby’s birth.

  • Monthly agency fees start only after medical records are approved by the clinic.

  • This approach reduces financial risk for intended parents if records are not approved.

Hi, it's Janelle with Ask A Surrogacy Expert. Our question is, while in the womb, how is your relationship different with your own children than your relationship with the surrogate baby? So really, I think there's that psychological piece of knowing, hey, this isn't my baby. So when you feel kicks and flutters and things like that, it's like, oh, it's so cute. So it really just does feel like babysitting. For me, it wasn't quite as sentimental. I think everybody's a little bit different with that. But it was cool to be able to text the IPs and let them know baby's kicking like crazy today. But it doesn't feel quite the same because you are aware already that you are just growing someone else's baby for them and that eventually you'll be able to do this awesome thing of giving baby back to them once he or she is born. And it's just, it's incredible. So not the same, but also amazing.

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Key questions to ask during a surrogacy match meeting for a strong partnership.

A breakdown of commonly overlooked costs in the surrogacy journey.