Choosing Your Fertility Clinic

When I started my surrogacy journey, I didn’t think it would be filled with magic in the same way that many people talk about traditional pregnancy. I knew I wouldn’t be watching my belly grow. I knew I wouldn’t learn about the baby through my cravings, see her first kicks, or feel the way she bounces when she hears her dad’s voice. In the beginning, I thought surrogacy would be all logistics and appointments.

I was wrong. Surrogacy was SO full of magic. There are SO MANY MAGICAL MOMENTS, and many of them happen at the fertility clinic.

The fertility clinic is where you’ll go to get your medical clearance for surrogacy. They’ll likely be working with you to create embryos. They’ll help the surrogate prepare her body to become pregnant, and they’ll perform the transfer of the embryo to the uterus.

The fertility clinic is a big part of the incredible surrogacy journey, so there is a lot to consider when choosing one.

The team at Hope Surrogacy is your guide for the entire surrogacy experience, and that most definitely includes guidance for choosing your fertility clinic. With 29+ years of combined experience, we know what questions to ask and how to navigate the complex process of getting pregnant.

We can talk you through how to choose a clinic, how to prep for appointments, and how to navigate the concerns you have during any part of the process. We also help talk to the fertility clinic on your behalf, with your permission, to help keep your baby team on track.

Call us when you’re choosing a clinic, before or after appointments, and any time you want some guidance during the complicated process of getting pregnant. We are here to help you every step of the way.

Here are three things you need to look for when choosing your fertility clinic:

Personality 

My fertility clinic answers the phone every time I call. If they aren’t available, they call and email the same day. That kind of contact was important for my family during the process. Does the doctor answer your questions or rush through them? Are they warm and friendly, serious and methodical? Set up an initial get-to-know-you appointment at the clinics you’re interested in and shop around until you find one that matches who you are and what you need.

Pricing 

You’ll want to know how much a clinic charges for the services you need (embryo creation, storage, the transfer, monitoring, and others). You’ll also need to know their pricing structure. Throughout the process of surrogacy, you never pay for everything all at once, and the same is often true about your gestational carrier’s pregnancy. Find out how you’re billed and for what pieces of the process at what time. We know this process and can help you understand pricing and what you might feel is or isn’t worth paying for.

Protocol 

Find out about your clinic’s pregnancy success rates. Find out how many successful transfers they have on average and ask how many 0f those are gestational carrier transfers. You’re looking to understand just how broad their experience is with your specific situation. Then, find out what their timeline is for gestational carrier cycles and ask to talk through the entire process – from your very first appointment to delivery.

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The medical process is arguably one of the most difficult parts of the surrogacy journey to understand, especially if this is your first, second or third time.

Call us. There are fertility clinics we’ve worked with for years, and there are others that clients have introduced to us. No matter which clinic you choose, we call for you, talk to practitioners at the clinics you choose, and help the entire team navigate the journey. We’re with you the entire way.

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On the blog, we’ve been covering the steps of the Surrogacy Timeline. Choosing your fertility clinic is a very important step. Find out more about Surrogacy Timeline here. And call us any time. We’d love to talk to you about the journey!