Surrogate Information Page 4

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* Can we use our own surrogate? Yes. Couples who have a surrogate interested in working with them may take advantage of our surrogacy "flex" program. This arrangement allows couples that may have a portion of their surrogacy arrangements worked out to integrate into our surrogacy arrangement protocol. There is generally no additional charge for this integration. Surrogates and couples, of course, will need to pass our rigorous medical screening protocols before being allowed entrance to our program. It is important to remember that surrogacy laws vary by State. Some States where surrogacy is legal may not allow a surrogate to be compensated financially. After receiving a request for integration into our program, the couple-surrogate will meet with attorneys experienced in such arrangements to discuss issues vital to the success of such arrangements.

* Can we use our own egg donor? Yes. Those that have chosen an egg donor from an agency or have made arrangements with a family member or other contact, may bring that individual into our program if the donor screening requirements and criteria have been met. We are able to screen potential egg donors for couples, though in most instances, chosen donors not related to the potential recipient mother will be referred to an outside screening agency with whom we will work to assure that all donor qualification requirements have been met. It must be remembered that therew are legal instances in which known, unrelated donors will be required to undertake an adoption arangement even though she will not carry the child. Attorney referrals will be offered to assist couples and egg donors with these arrangement formalities.

* Can you work with a physician near our home? Yes. We have worked with many, many physicians from all parts of the world to assist couples with their treatment cycles. If a physician, ultrasound facility and hormone laboratory are available, in many instances the bulk of the cycle preparation and treatment may be carried out with the couples remaining at or close to home. In some instances a portion of the surrogate monitoring may similarly be carried out near the surrogates home. We have worked with physicians in nearly every State in the U.S., and have worked closely with physicians from countries as diverse as Russia, Poland, Australia, Germany, Britian, Peru, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, Chile, China, Spain, Singapore, Japan and many others. Details of these arrangements will be worked out at the time of your initial consultation.

* How much time do we need to spend at / with the program? The amount of time requred to successfully complete a full treatment cycle involving a gestational surrogate is approximately 5 weeks. We have, depending upon predetermined arrangements with out of town patients, completed successful cycles with the mother to be present for as few as three days, and the spouse present for one day. Most out of the area couples are able to comfortably complete the monitoring and egg retrieval portion of their treatment with a ten to twelve day stay. These requirements are only offered as a guide, as circumstances and requirements may vary greatly.

* How soon can a match be obtained? Depending upon the desires of the couple related to specific issues involving their surrogate, matches are usually made in from one to five weeks. Requests for surrogates that live in certain geographical locations, or that are of certain religious or ethnic backgrounds may delay this matching process. In all instances, the couple and the surrogate will meet prior to finalizing a match.

* How soon may we begin? We begin surrogate cycles twice monthly. Once a suitable match has been arranged, the limiting factor becomes completion of all of the appropriate legal formalities. Once a signed surrogacy contract is received, the cycles of the mother to be (or egg donor) and the surrogate will be analyzed, and arrangements will be made to initiate the tretament cycle. We are able to take into account scheduling requirements of all involved. With modern cycle management techniques, we can usually accomodate any scheduling requirements of either the couple or the surrogate.

* What happens after the birth? Prior to an anticipated delivery, depending upon the State where the delivery will occur, and the arrangemnts that have been made, the attorney for the parents to be will usually petition the Court for an order directing the Medical Records Department at the hospital where the delivery will take place to place the names of the legal, genetic parents on the birth certificate of the infant. The surrogate's name generally never appears. The obstetrician then signs the completed, legal birth certificate record which is then forwarded to the city or county recorder of vital statistics. Parents will obtain a validated certificate from the appropriate government agency charged with maintaining birth records. The baby will be seen in the newborn nursery by a pediatrician, and when ready for discharge, will be sent home with his or her new parents. The surrogate will be discharged home when her obstetrician feels she is ready to leave the hospital. At this point, further contact between the parents and the surrogate is by mutual consent and agreement. Please see other sections of this Web site for post-delivery experiences of couples and surrogates. The care of the newborn in the nursery is coordinated with the health insurance company of the new parents. This is important, as multiple births can result in significant newborn infant care charges. Our current multiple birth rate in gestational surrogacy has been reduced thanks to a reduction of the number of emryos placed with the surrogate, but still remains substantial.

Reproductive Endocrinology / In Vitro Fertilization / GIFT/ZIFT/TET / Donor Egg Program / Testicular Sperm Retrieval / Electroejaculation / Antibody Testing / Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) / Sperm Washing and Improvement / Testicular Aspiration of Sperm for Failed Vasectomy Reversals / Tubal Ligation Reversal / Vasectomy Reversal / Secure Embryo Cryopreservation (freezing) and Transfer / Sex Selection / DOST (very low cost IVF alternative) / Registered Fertility and Endocrinology Laboratories

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* Can we use our own surrogate?	Yes. Couples who have a surrogate interested in working with them may take advantage of our surrogacy "flex" program. This arrangement allows couples that may have a portion of their surrogacy arrangements worked out to integrate into our surrogacy arrangement protocol. There is generally no additional charge for this integration. Surrogates and couples, of course, will need to pass our rigorous medical screening protocols before being allowed entrance to our program. It is important to remember that surrogacy laws vary by State. Some States where surrogacy is legal may not allow a surrogate to be compensated financially. After receiving a request for integration into our program, the couple-surrogate will meet with attorneys experienced in such arrangements to discuss issues vital to the success of such arrangements.
* Can we use our own egg donor?	Yes. Those that have chosen an egg donor from an agency or have made arrangements with a family member or other contact, may bring that individual into our program if the donor screening requirements and criteria have been met. We are able to screen potential egg donors for couples, though in most instances, chosen donors not related to the potential recipient mother will be referred to an outside screening agency with whom we will work to assure that all donor qualification requirements have been met. It must be remembered that therew are legal instances in which known, unrelated donors will be required to undertake an adoption arangement even though she will not carry the child. Attorney referrals will be offered to assist couples and egg donors with these arrangement formalities.
* Can you work with a physician near our home?	Yes. We have worked with many, many physicians from all parts of the world to assist couples with their treatment cycles. If a physician, ultrasound facility and hormone laboratory are available, in many instances the bulk of the cycle preparation and treatment may be carried out with the couples remaining at or close to home. In some instances a portion of the surrogate monitoring may similarly be carried out near the surrogates home. We have worked with physicians in nearly every State in the U.S., and have worked closely with physicians from countries as diverse as Russia, Poland, Australia, Germany, Britian, Peru, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, Chile, China, Spain, Singapore, Japan and many others. Details of these arrangements will be worked out at the time of your initial consultation.
* How much time do we need to spend at / with the program?	The amount of time requred to successfully complete a full treatment cycle involving a gestational surrogate is approximately 5 weeks. We have, depending upon predetermined arrangements with out of town patients, completed successful cycles with the mother to be present for as few as three days, and the spouse present for one day. Most out of the area couples are able to comfortably complete the monitoring and egg retrieval portion of their treatment with a ten to twelve day stay. These requirements are only offered as a guide, as circumstances and requirements may vary greatly.
* How soon can a match be obtained?	Depending upon the desires of the couple related to specific issues involving their surrogate, matches are usually made in from one to five weeks. Requests for surrogates that live in certain geographical locations, or that are of certain religious or ethnic backgrounds may delay this matching process. In all instances, the couple and the surrogate will meet prior to finalizing a match.
* How soon may we begin?	We begin surrogate cycles twice monthly. Once a suitable match has been arranged, the limiting factor becomes completion of all of the appropriate legal formalities. Once a signed surrogacy contract is received, the cycles of the mother to be (or egg donor) and the surrogate will be analyzed, and arrangements will be made to initiate the tretament cycle. We are able to take into account scheduling requirements of all involved. With modern cycle management techniques, we can usually accomodate any scheduling requirements of either the couple or the surrogate.
* What happens after the birth?	Prior to an anticipated delivery, depending upon the State where the delivery will occur, and the arrangemnts that have been made, the attorney for the parents to be will usually petition the Court for an order directing the Medical Records Department at the hospital where the delivery will take place to place the names of the legal, genetic parents on the birth certificate of the infant. The surrogate's name generally never appears. The obstetrician then signs the completed, legal birth certificate record which is then forwarded to the city or county recorder of vital statistics. Parents will obtain a validated certificate from the appropriate government agency charged with maintaining birth records. The baby will be seen in the newborn nursery by a pediatrician, and when ready for discharge, will be sent home with his or her new parents. The surrogate will be discharged home when her obstetrician feels she is ready to leave the hospital. At this point, further contact between the parents and the surrogate is by mutual consent and agreement. Please see other sections of this Web site for post-delivery experiences of couples and surrogates. The care of the newborn in the nursery is coordinated with the health insurance company of the new parents. This is important, as multiple births can result in significant newborn infant care charges. Our current multiple birth rate in gestational surrogacy has been reduced thanks to a reduction of the number of emryos placed with the surrogate, but still remains substantial.