Escrow is initially used as a surrogate expense account while you are going through the clinic screening process before legal agreements are completed. Promptly after the legal contract is completed, escrow will be funded to cover all expenses reasonably anticipated through the surrogacy contract, generally $75,000 to $90,000.

There are several pieces to the clinic screening and clearance process. First the Gestational Carrier’s medical records are sent to the Intended Parents’ clinic to be reviewed and approved by their doctors. This process can take anywhere from 1-6 weeks, depending on the clinic, before we hear whether you, the Gestational Carrier, is approved to proceed. Once records are approved, depending on cycle timing and the clinics procedures, you will go in for in person medical testing by the clinic. This testing typically happens in one or two appointments, and usually is scheduled between days 6 and 12 of your cycle. The appointments can be several hours long and some clinics’ screening timing/window may vary. As part of the screening process the gestational carrier’s spouse/partner, or any sexually intimate partner, will also need to be tested. Depending on the clinic your spouse/partner may need to attend the same workup appointment with you. Other clinics will send a lab slip home with you and allow the partner to be tested at a separate time, but this is a decision that varies between clinics. After all testing is complete, it usually takes approximately 10 to 14 days for all test results to come back to the clinic before full medical clearance can be granted. The clinic may also require additional items as part of their screening as well as retests. It is not unusual to have a request to complete a mammogram or take vitamin D supplements, vaccines, or thyroid medications.

Once full medical clearance is granted, the Intended Parents will work with their lawyer and the you (and your partner) will work with your own separate lawyer to establish the Gestational Carrier Agreement. We are happy to help recommend attorneys for this part of the process, but our agency does not require that either side use any specific attorney. The only requirement from us is that the attorneys must specialize in Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) law and that at least one attorney practices in the state where you intend to give birth. Typically, the Intended Parents choose their attorney first, who is typically the drafting attorney, and then you (and your partner) will choose your attorney as the reviewing attorney.

Occasionally there are situations where the agency may suggest a legal agreement be put in place before full medical clearance is granted. If you fall under that situation, we will let you know! (*The legal agreement must be in place before any invasive procedures are done or any cycle related medication, beyond birth control, is started.)

The legal agreement is called a Gestational Carrier Agreement. This agreement is meant to talk about what everyone’s responsibilities are, plans if any issues arise, and, of course, compensation.

This is where the dreaded shots (potentially) come in! Every clinic has a unique transfer medication calendar and protocol. In simplest terms, the IVF clinic is trying to prepare your body for embryo transfer. They are trying to limit the gestational carrier’s ovulation while building a lining in the uterus that hopefully accepts the embryo. Typically, you will start taking medications anywhere from 30 days to 2 weeks before the embryo transfer (on rare occasions this may begin more than 30 days in advance). As part of medication and transfer protocol, blood draws are done often to check your hormone levels, both before and after transfer as are uterine lining checks via ultrasound. The number of blood draws and ultrasounds varies between clinics but typically between 1 and 3 checks are conducted between medication start and transfer and 3-6 appointments after transfer. And while not all clinics require shots, most do, and all will involve at least some medications.