Medical Clearance: Why You Need It For Surrogacy

If you are anything like me, from the moment you start your surrogacy journey you won’t stop imagining who your surrogate might be. You’ll think about who she is, what you want to tell her, and how you hope your relationship will go. And then, the magic day happens, and you think, “What do we do now? What happens next after you meet your surrogate?” The next step is your surrogate’s medical clearance.

There are so many, many things that happen between the day you meet your surrogate and the day the baby is born. This is where Hope comes in with a couple pieces of great news. First, we’re here with you every step of the way. That includes every step between the Match Meeting and Delivery Day. And the second bit of good news? If you’re on the surrogacy journey with Hope Surrogacy, you’ve heard this before. You learned about the entire process on Consult Day, and you know we’re here to call for any question you have.

So, what is the step you should take after the Match Meeting?

The next step is the surrogate’s medical clearance.

The medical process of surrogacy is complicated. There are many, many moving parts, but that’s why Hope Surrogacy is here for you. Our goal is to make sure you feel well informed and that you have what you need to move forward. You’ll have us on your team the whole way helping to navigate the appointments, the timeline and any questions you have. We’re here for you.

After your Match Meeting, Hope Surrogacy will send a packet of information to your fertility clinic which includes, among other things, the surrogate’s medical records as well as copies of everyone’s psychological evaluations. Your clinic will review the information and schedule the surrogate’s medical clearance appointment.

Why do you need a Medical Clearance?

Fertility clinics are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and follow strict policies and procedures for the transfer of an embryo into a “third party” (surrogate). This means you are required to complete this step to continue on your surrogacy journey.

If you’re on this journey as a surrogate, you and your partner will attend the appointment together. Blood draws are taken for infectious disease testing, and the doctor will also conduct a physical exam including a sonohysterogram which is an an imaging study of the uterus. Doctors insert fluid into the uterus via the cervix to examine the uterine lining. The doctor wants to be sure the uterus is free of obstructions for a safe transfer. This step is all about the safety and viability of a successful transfer.

Remember, you’ve chosen this fertility clinic ahead of time, and as part of your Match Meeting, we’ll help make sure everyone knows who to contact, when, and at what clinic so surrogates and Intended Parents are on the same page. We’ll work directly with you and your fertility clinic all along the way.

What happens at the medical clearance appointment?

As a surrogate, in addition to the infectious disease testing and the physical exam, the wonderful nurses at the fertility clinic will spend time with you and your partner going over the timeline for getting pregnant, the drug protocols as well as injection training. You’ll also sign consent forms. The medical clearance appointment is usually a two to four hour appointment depending on the clinic. We will work with you to plan your travel to and from the clinic and make sure that you’re comfortable and well-informed for this critical part of your surrogacy timeline.

Do intended parents need go through a medical clearance, too?

Intended Parents complete their medical screening when they create their embryos, which is most often done before they meet their surrogate. So, whether they are using their own genetic material to create the embryos, or using donor egg and/or sperm, the FDA requires infectious disease testing. Intended parents and any donors involved will also fill out a family history in order to account for any genetic factors when creating the embryos. Your health and the health of the baby is the most important part of this process, and your care team at the fertility clinic will be extremely careful in respect to the embryos they are creating for this process.  

How will you know that you are medically cleared to move forward?

Your fertility clinic will let everyone know as soon as the lab results are back. This usually takes around 10 business days. Based on their assessment you’ll be cleared, and you can schedule a transfer. That is, after the surrogate and intended parents have signed their legal contract which is the next step on the surrogacy timeline. We’ll be talking about that legal contract on the blog next week!

Does this feel a bit complicated?

Don’t worry. That is the reason Hope Surrogacy is here. We’ve guided hundreds of families through this process, and we’ve worked with hundreds of surrogates from the first days of their journey all the way to their delivery. We know what to expect, what questions to ask, and how to help with any questions you have, including what you’ll need for your Medical Clearance.

Have a question? Call us anytime! Ready to move forward? We can’t wait to talk with you!

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This blog post is part of a series describing each part of the Surrogacy Timeline. Check out this blog post to start from the beginning and read along to find out what it takes to make your surrogacy dreams come true!