Surrogacy In India: A Guide for Intended Parents

Below is the nine step guide for intended parents, 

Step 1:

After consulting the doctor, intended mother would be asked about her medical, personal, menstrual and obstetric history with details of her previous surgeries if any before under surrogacy treatment.

Step 2:

The reports would be studied in detail and later intended mother would be counseled at Pahlajani Surrogacy Care about the treatment and various packages of surrogacy, so as to optimize her chances for successful surrogacy treatment. Later, intended mother would be asked to register with the Pahlajani Surrogacy Care.

Step 3:

After the formalities of registration, the intended parents are matched with the surrogate database with our clinic help the couple choose appropriate surrogate mother.

Step 4:

After the selection of a surrogate, intended mother’s menstrual cycle would be matched with that of the surrogate, which is called synchronization of cycles by putting both surrogate and intended mother on birth control pills. Sometimes synchronization may require use of injections- a class of medications called GnRH Analogues, for example - Lupride, Suprefact, etc. Surrogacy treatment starts from Day 1 of intended mother menstrual cycle.

Step 5:

Once the cycles are synchronized, intended mother will be injected with Gonadotrophins to grow and ripen the eggs, which is called “Controlled Ovarian Stimulation”. It lasts for 9 to 12 days to record the response of intended mother ovaries about number of eggs maturing each day. The doctors would the above process using periodic transvaginal ultrasonographies or even blood tests to ensure optimized ovarian response and reduce the chances of excessive response.

Step 6:

Meanwhile, the surrogate, who is cycled to match intended mother periods, will be treated from Day 1 of her period by giving them Oestrogens and Progesteron medications to ripen the inner lining of her uterus-called Endometrium, to become receptive for acceptance and implantation of embryos to be transferred. The doctors records the response of her uterine lining is periodically assessed using trans-vaginal ultrasound scans at our clinic.

Step 7:

Egg (Oocyte) Retrieval:

Once the developing eggs reach optimum size, the genetic mother or egg donor undergoes procedure of oocyte retrieval, under short General Anesthesia to obtain eggs. IVF/ICSI/IMSI is performed to impregnate these eggs.

Step 8:

Between Day 2 and Day 5 of embryo formation, the embryo transfer is performed into the uterus of surrogate. Meanwhile, surrogate would be on certain recommended medications for implantation of transferred embryos called luteal phase supports.

Step 9:

Pregnancy Test:

Nearly 14 days after embryo transfer, the Serum Beta HCG test is performed on surrogate’s blood. If the test is positive, the same test is repeated every 4th day till the beta HCG levels cross 20,000 iu.

Dr Neeraj Pahlajani