Blog
The Delivery
As a surrogate, when the time comes to deliver the baby, there are so many emotions racing. We want to be sure everything is ready and in place well before the actual delivery day. There will be a cute bundle of joy (or two or three!) that will take center stage, of...
A Brief Look at the History of IVF
• In 1934 at Harvard University, scientist Gregory Pincus conducts IVF experiments on rabbits. Results suggest that similar fertilization is possible in humans.• A few years later, John Rock and Miriam Menkin succeed in the first IVF of human...
Waiting and waiting….patience is important during the Surrogacy process
One of the hardest things to do in surrogacy is wait. This goes for all parties: the IPs, the surrogate, the egg donor, the agency coordinator, etc. It's so hard to wait when something so amazing is almost in your grasp; you just have to put the...
Is there a weight requirement to become a surrogate?
Our surrogacy agency, Shared Conception, loves receiving your questions about surrogacy so please keep them coming. One question that weighs on most people's minds is this: Is there a weight requirement to become a surrogate?There is no weight requirement...
Poll: Vast Majority of Americans Support Surrogacy
A recent YouGov poll asked U.S. citizens what they thought about surrogacy. Our surrogacy agency, Shared Conception, was not surprised to learn that 71 percent of people polled said they approved of surrogacy. To give you a gender breakdown, women approved of...
Teamwork Makes the Surrogacy Dream Work
A successful surrogacy is a team effort. It means the cooperation of surrogates, egg donors, intended parents, doctors, nurses, social workers, attorneys, and coordinators. Focusing on openness, honesty, and communication can help make a good journey great.But we...
Three Books for Children of Surrogates
Seven Signs you would make a great gestational carrier.
1. You’re family oriented. Diapers, spit-up, tantrums— you name it, you can handle it with ease. You make being a caretaker a priority because you want it to be. That’s essentially a gestational surrogate’s role–carrying and...
Negotiating Your Surrogacy Contract
Celebrity Elizabeth Banks and Her Thoughts on Surrogacy
Around 10 percent of couples are affected by infertility, in addition to gay couples- many of whom would like to build families. Surrogacy has become one of the most viable options for couples who cannot conceive. Even though it is far more common today than it was 20...
9 Tips for a Smooth Surrogate Pregnancy
These Goop.com tips come from pain expert Vicky Vlachonis, author of The Body Doesn’t Lie. Vicky suggests that one aspect of pregnancy is relinquishing control and trusting that your body knows what it is doing. That said, her suggestions are practical and...
Seven Things the Media Gets Wrong About Surrogacy in the USA
1. Forgetting about the happy families created through surrogacy. Intended parents, surrogates, and the wonderful children brought into this world because of their love are real people. Articles talking about the dangers of surrogacy are not only misleading but...
Surrogacy Laws State by State–Things You Need To Know
Surrogacy law encompasses family law, contract negotiation, estate planning, insurance and often immigration law. Legal experts working with Shared Conception and other surrogacy agencies are in charge of negotiating agreements between intended parents and surrogates...
IVF for Surrogacy and Egg Donation: An overview for intended parents
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is the medical procedure behind gestational surrogacy and egg donation. In the process, eggs are removed from an egg donor or from the intended mother and fertilized with sperm in a lab to create embryos. The resulting embryos...
Planning a Surrogacy
If you’re reading this, you are most likely researching surrogacy and all that it entails. And while you’re probably still learning the ins and outs of the process, there are some things you should know that may not pop up in your next internet search. As we want you...
Covering the Cost of Surrogacy: 5 Tips for Intended Parents
For most people, covering the costs of surrogacy requires planning and organization. Here are some of Shared Conceptions favorite tips to help make the financial aspect of your surrogacy journey go smoothly: 1. Share your story. Surrogacy is the ultimate example...
Can You be a Surrogate if Your Tubes are Tied?
Lots of mothers choose to have their "tubes tied" or tubal ligation after they have delivered their last child. Many families choose this as their permanent form of birth control. Later in life, though, many women decide they want to start the journey of helping other...
How much do the surrogate and intended parents stay in contact?
There can be lots of questions when intended parents and surrogates partner together to create a beautiful baby. One question that frequently comes up is how much contact will those involve have in the future? The answer isn’t simple because every situation is...