Surrogacy Step by Step
How to Have a Baby?
Surrogacy service is comprised of several essential steps that last for about 12-14 months in total, depending on circumstances. These steps involve:
1. Initial Consultation and Registration - 2 weeks
2. Matching with your surrogate - 2 months
3. IVF cycle - 1 month
4. Pregnancy - 9 months
5. Postpartum period and documentation management - 1 month
Overall, the surrogacy process typically spans 12 to 14 months, from the initial consultation through the postpartum period and documentation management.
Matching with your surrogate
The matching stage is one of the most exhilarating parts of your surrogacy journey, as it involves finding the incredible woman who will help you grow your family.
Our dedicated Matching Specialists take great care in selecting intended parents and surrogates based on the criteria and preferences shared by both parties. With years of experience and a deep understanding of what contributes to a healthy and successful surrogacy relationship, we are committed to ensuring a smooth journey through the surrogacy process, providing you with the reassurance and support you need.
Consultation and signing on
If you decide to partner with Soranus as your surrogacy agency, the next step involves signing on and beginning your journey toward parenthood. During this initial phase, which typically lasts about a month, you will be introduced to your fertility advisor, who will work closely with you to understand your preferences, requirements, and expectations. We have established strong relationships with many renowned IVF clinics across the country, allowing us to guide you in choosing the best clinic to meet your needs.
Throughout this period, our team will provide you with personalized support and expert advice, ensuring that you feel confident and informed every step of the way. By the end of this stage, you will be well on your way to starting the medical process with a trusted clinic and a carefully matched surrogate, laying the foundation for a successful surrogacy journey.
Meeting the team
Once you are matched with a surrogate, the next step is to meet your Journey Coordination team. This team will serve as your primary support system throughout the surrogacy process. They will take the time to explain each upcoming step and detail the entire surrogacy journey, ensuring you are fully informed and know what to expect at each phase. With years of experience in the surrogacy field, our team comprises professionals from various disciplines who will be by your side throughout the process.
Our team includes:
Program Coordinators/Managers
They will oversee your entire surrogacy journey, coordinating between all parties involved and ensuring that everything runs smoothly.
Reproductive Endocrinologist
Will conduct thorough evaluations of the intended parents' fertility health to determine the best course of action and oversee the entire IVF process, including egg retrieval, fertilization, and embryo transfer. Monitor the surrogate's hormonal levels to ensure optimal conditions for embryo transfer and successful implantation.
Obstetrician-Gynecologist
Will Provide comprehensive prenatal care to monitor the health of the surrogate and the development of the fetus throughout the pregnancy. Manage any pregnancy-related issues or complications that arise and deliver the baby, either through vaginal delivery or C-section, ensuring the safety and health of both the surrogate and the baby.
Perinatologist
Will provide additional monitoring and special care for high-risk pregnancies and will work with the OB-GYN to manage any complications that may arise during pregnancy, so that we ensure the best outcomes for the surrogate and baby.
Genetic Counselor
Will arrange and interpret genetic tests as needed, offering clear explanations and guidance based on the results.
Pediatrician
Will offer immediate and comprehensive care to the newborn, including initial health assessments, monitoring, and all the necessary medical care in the early days of life.
Psychologist/Psychiatrist
Will conduct thorough psychological assessments of both the surrogate and the intended parents to ensure emotional readiness, provide ongoing counseling and support throughout the surrogacy journey to address any emotional or mental health concerns, and assist in resolving any psychological or emotional conflicts that may arise during the process.
Lawyer
Your legal representative will handle all the legal aspects of your surrogacy, ensuring that all contracts and agreements are in place and that your rights are protected throughout the process.
Surrogacy by Weeks
Weeks 1-2 Preparation for Embryo Transfer
During this phase, you will take your first steps towards your surrogacy journey. You/your gestational surrogate will go to the IVF clinic. After several blood tests and ultrasounds, she will start the cycle of hormonal treatment to prepare her body for the embryo transfer procedure. Your gestational surrogate will begin taking 1. Birth Control Pills: To regulate and synchronize the menstrual cycle. 2. Estrogen: To build up the endometrial lining, making it receptive to the embryo; and 3. Progesterone closer to the embryo transfer date to support the endometrial lining so that the embryo will remain attached to the uterine cavity.
Week 3 Embryo Transfer
When the clinic determines that your surrogate is ready for embryo transfer, she will travel to the IVF clinic for the procedure. A reproductive endocrinologist will transfer selected embryos to her uterus during the process.
After the transfer, your surrogate will return home to rest.
Weeks 4-5
This is the critical waiting period during which the pregnancy confirmation will happen. The confirmation of pregnancy will happen around 10-14 days after embryo transfer through blood tests that measure beta hCG (human chorionic gonadotrophin) levels. Note that in case of unsuccessful embryo transfer, our company continues the process until a successful pregnancy happens.
After the embryo is successfully transferred to the uterus, the surrogate will visit the IVF clinic for an ultrasound and the confirmation of a heartbeat. During the pregnancy stage, the surrogate has regular appointments with her OB-GYN to monitor the pregnancy. These visits include blood tests, urine tests, and ultrasounds to track embryo development.
Week 6
Around the sixth week of pregnancy, the surrogate will visit the clinic for her first ultrasound. This appointment is designed to confirm the pregnancy. During the ultrasound, the healthcare provider will look for the presence of a fetal heartbeat. The detection of a heartbeat at this stage is a significant milestone, providing strong confirmation that the pregnancy is progressing as expected. This early indication of a heartbeat reassures both the surrogate and the intended parents that a healthy and viable pregnancy is progressing.
Weeks 7-12
During this phase, regular check-ups are carried out to once more confirm pregnancy.
Weeks 13-20 Second Trimester
During the beginning phase of the second trimester, genetic testing, such as non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) or amniocentesis, will be used to check the fetus for chromosomal abnormalities.
Weeks 21-28
This is the late second-trimester stage, where the surrogate continues her regular check-ups at the IVF clinic.
Weeks 29-36 Third Trimester
During weeks 29-36 of a surrogate pregnancy, the focus is on ensuring the health and well-being of both the surrogate and the developing baby. Prenatal visits occur every two weeks to monitor the surrogate’s health and the baby’s development. These visits include routine check-ups of the surrogate’s weight, blood pressure, and urine for proteins and glucose.
The healthcare provider closely monitors fetal movements and may perform ultrasounds to assess the baby’s growth and position, as well as check the amniotic fluid levels and the position of the placenta.
Weeks 37-40
During weeks 37-40 of a surrogate pregnancy, the focus shifts towards the final preparations for labor and delivery. Prenatal visits occur weekly to closely monitor the surrogate’s health and the baby’s readiness for birth. This is also the labor phase during which our medical team and experienced obstetricians will ensure that the delivery is conducted safely and smoothly.
Postpartum Phase
After waiting 3-5 weeks for your baby's eardrums to have finished developing you can safely board the plane to return home with your new family member!
Going Through the Legal Process
Our lawyers will assist you in preparing all the necessary documents to ensure compliance with relevant policies regarding the settlement of newborns in your country. This includes arranging the baby's birth certificate, parentage (DNA) test, passport, household registration certificate, and ID card, ensuring that everything is in accordance with the applicable legal requirements.
Ready to grow your family?
Contact Us!
+995 597 087 490
Georgia, Tbilisi
Soranus Surrogacy LTD
