Making the Path to Parenthood Into a Reality
Our five-step path to parenthood
While the path to parenthood through surrogacy may seem complicated, the journey breaks down into five steps. Like every journey, it is better to keep your attention focused on one step at a time. Taking your journey in digestible pieces can keep it all from feeling overwhelming.
At Les Petits Surrogacy, our purpose is to provide you with detailed insights into the complete scope of each step, so there are no surprises on your path to parenthood. You will understand exactly how – together as a team – we will complete each step, and what will be accomplished when we finish. We will also keep you updated on timing, as well as any delays or challenges.
What are the steps in surrogacy? No two surrogacy journeys are exactly the same, and some parts of the process can go slower or faster. However, our nationwide surrogacy agency makes the process as simple as possible by breaking it down into five basic steps.
Step 1: Getting to know each other
Duration: 1-3 months
Once you decide to move forward with Les Petits Surrogacy (LPS), our owners, Rebecca or Shane, will meet you to become familiar with your goals and desires for your fertility and/or surrogacy journey. We are happy to explore a multitude of options and will work with you to find the right fit.
If you are already working with an IVF clinic, we will connect with your clinic and coordinate with your IVF physician. If you have not chosen a clinic yet, we can help with recommendations and introductions. We have many direct relationships with some of the best clinics.
If you don’t already have embryos created, we can help you find a fertility provider. There is a lot of information out there on the web, and we can help you make sense of it all with our fertility consulting services. Our owners not only managed fertility practices and labs, but have also inspected and audited labs throughout the United States. This perspective gives us unique tools to assist you in selecting the best fertility provider for your needs.
We can prepare you with the proper questions and help you understand a clinic’s SART and CDC data when comparing clinics. This is a long journey, and all the pieces are important to a successful outcome. While there are no guarantees of a successful outcome, we make sure you have all the proper building blocks on your path to parenthood.
If you have embryos created, you may need to do testing or other activities while your surrogate match is secured. If you need to create embryos, we can discuss the best timing for that process.
Should you need an egg or sperm donor for your surrogacy journey, our owners have worked at IVF clinics and are experienced in working with several egg and sperm donor agencies. We are happy to make introductions, if needed.
Step 2: Matching with your surrogate
The magic moment when all parties confirm they want to move forward with the match, and you have found your surrogate, is simply amazing. Your surrogate will be filled with joy at the thought of being able to help you in this unique way. Our detailed surrogate screening process gives you confidence in knowing that your surrogate is right for you.
Duration: Anywhere from 1 to 3 months; timing often varies
Using criteria collected about both parties, we carefully consider many facets to provide a good fit between our intended parents and surrogates. We’ve successfully matched many parents and surrogates based on our understanding of what makes for a healthy intended parent-surrogate relationship during the surrogacy journey.
Once intended parents are matched with a surrogate, our team will review the surrogacy process and milestones, so you know exactly what to expect. We coordinate the entire process from start to finish, working with physicians specialized in reproductive endocrinology, maternal fetal medicine and obstetrics, as well as with licensed mental health professionals, social workers, attorneys, registered dietitians, doulas, lactation consultants, acupuncturists and others who will support you through this amazing journey.
Step 3: Medical screening and legal phase
Duration: 2-3 months
During the medical clearance and legal phase of the process, you and your surrogate will meet many milestones. Here’s what to expect as you participate in these activities.
Surrogate medical screening
Your surrogate will visit your IVF physician for a thorough medical screening. This involves various blood and urine tests and a physical examination, including a vaginal ultrasound and uterine evaluation.
Your IVF physician may want to proceed with a mock cycle, with or without ERA (endometrial receptivity analysis), to monitor the uterus for lining thickness, which can be thought of as a practice embryo transfer cycle. An ERA is a biopsy of the endometrial lining to determine when the uterine lining is most receptive to implantation. Your surrogate may be prescribed birth control pills at this visit. Before or after this appointment may be a good time to arrange an in-person visit with your surrogate.
Legal contract
You will collaborate with your attorney to draft the legal contract, while your surrogate works with her own legal counsel to review and propose changes. Both parties negotiate terms over several weeks to ensure clarity and fairness.
Surrogate medications and monitoring
After medical and legal clearance, your surrogate will be provided a calendar for the embryo transfer process, and she will commence her medications. Close monitoring will be needed. Should your surrogate require local monitoring during the transfer cycle, our team will collaborate with your IVF clinic to schedule this monitoring at a facility near your surrogate, at the direction of your IVF physician.
Embryo transfer
Once your surrogate is deemed ready, she’ll travel to your IVF clinic for the embryo transfer. Each IVF physician has their own protocol, but in many cases, the surrogate is advised to rest for one to three days after the transfer, often with a companion for support. We encourage you to be present for this significant milestone, offering support to your surrogate and sharing in the joy of the moment.
After the transfer, she will continue her medications and have blood drawn for a pregnancy test, usually around 9 to 12 days post-transfer. Upon a positive pregnancy test, your surrogate will have an ultrasound for heartbeat confirmation, usually around six weeks.
Step 4: Pregnancy
We track the pregnancy and your surrogate’s health very closely. We are always in contact with both intended parent(s) and the surrogate throughout the pregnancy.
Our owners, Rebecca and Shane, pride themselves on being available to you every step of the way by phone, text or email.
Your surrogate’s care transitions from IVF clinic to OBGYN around the 10th week of pregnancy. Intended parents are encouraged to attend as many appointments as they can, either virtually or in person. You will be asked to evaluate options for prenatal testing and will work closely with your team, consisting of the obstetrician, your surrogate and Les Petits Surrogacy. You can expect your surrogate to have an anatomy scan at 18 to 20 weeks of pregnancy. This ultrasound confirms the gender of the baby and that your child is growing and thriving.
Duration: Approximately 9 months
Your attorney and LPS will be in communication often, and intended parents will work with their attorney to outline their parental rights, which are dependent on the state in which the surrogate resides. The pre-birth order (PBO), or judgment, is a certified court document identifying you as the legal parent(s) of your baby even prior to birth. The judgment will be needed to complete the baby’s birth certificate at the hospital. In the third trimester, your attorney will send you the certified judgment as soon as it is ready.
Preparing for the birth is the focus in the third trimester. A birth plan is created and organized, with both the surrogate and intended parents, to consider all parties’ preferences and detail what delivery day will look like. Our team will share this plan with the hospital, ensuring that everyone’s hopes for delivery day are captured.
In the last trimester, you will feel the excitement of your baby’s impending arrival. Pack your bags and keep your phone nearby; it will soon be time to leave!
Step 5: Beyond Birth to Parenthood
A moment so magical, your heart is full, and your dream fulfilled. Nothing can compare to meeting your baby for the first time. There will be many tears of joy on this special day.
Our team is here to help support you after you arrive home with your baby. These early days are both exciting and overwhelming, and we’ll stick right by your side, as we have during your entire journey. We are with you as you make the amazing transition beyond birth to parenthood!
Contact us to start on your own path to parenthood
It is our honor to spend every day helping put people on the path to parenthood. To learn more about our agency or the surrogacy process, please contact us to get started.
