No Matter What Is The Outcome, You Are Not Alone!

The Baby Steps Of A Surrogacy

As you read this, there are tens of thousands of others in your “shoes” with hopes and dreams for their baby just like yours!

The “Baby Steps” Of A Surrogacy

No Matter What Is The Outcome, You Are Not Alone!

Well, there you have it! If you have made it to this guidance, you have learned a lot more than most people will ever know. You have learned whether it is right for you, how to get started, what it should cost, what your expectations should reasonably be and how to reconcile successes and setbacks, hopefully. Most importantly, we think, you should know that no matter what is the outcome, you are not alone!

As you read this, there are tens of thousands of others in your “shoes” with hopes and dreams just like yours!

Please get in touch with Parents Life via our very informative website.

There you will be able to interact with Parents Life’s team, ask your questions and read the latest blogs and articles about the assisted reproduction. Visit us regularly, as this valuable resource is likely to be in continual development, with further updates on the medical and law procedures.

Parents Life would be delighted to speak about your case in person!

When all other options are wasted, many of the intended parents would turn to a surrogacy. This is a hard decision to make and not the right one for everyone. The biggest decision to make is whether you can financially afford it. It is a big outlay, but depending on how badly you want a child, sacrifices can be done. Discuss it well with your spouse and make sure it is what you both want. Make sure that the time is right for both of you, but most of all please do your research.

Where do we start? Your research can be very confusing. The more you look and find, the harder the decisions can become. The research is a very important part of a surrogacy. If you are going through all these distress and expenses, you hope for the best possible outcome. Although there are never any guarantees, but the more you know about what you are doing and whom you are doing it with, their reputation, their past results, and the better chances you have to make your dreams come true.

This is a huge factor in many people’s lives. Like most things in life, babies do not come cheap. However, they are well worth every cent. Looking at the different options, prices vary according to what you want to do and where you want to do it. There are many varying factors but they should be able to give you a base figure, then prices will go up or down accordingly. Parents Life believes that the treatment in Ukraine may be cheaper than in many other countries.

We cannot stress enough about doing your research. Make contact with Parents Life by E-mail or phone and get as much information as you want. You will find out about how we choose our surrogates, what tests we carry out on egg donors and surrogates. You will also know upfront the basic package price and any extras that may crop up. It is then a good idea to make contact with us by phone. You want to cover all bases before you make a decision and start signing contracts.

Parents Life will inform you of the tests that are required before you can start signing contracts. Of course, tests will vary depending on your personal circumstances. That is not something that you have to worry about, as Parents Life will organize all your medical tests. You and everyone else involved in the treatment will need to have the required medical tests done. There may also be some other medical tests that IVF clinic will ask to be performed.

Parents Life may work in different ways although it is common practice to allocate a surrogate to you. Women primarily choose to become surrogates to earn money to provide for their own family. It is not just about the money though. It also gives them a sense of pride and satisfaction to be able to help another couple to fulfil their dream for a family. We chose surrogates who have had their own children without any complications during the pregnancy or birth and without any miscarriages.

If you are not using an egg donor but using your own eggs, you will need to make an appointment at IVF clinic in your hometown. You have an option to get all your treatment at home or have first stages done at home and then proceed in Ukraine. Alternatively, you can do your entire treatment in Ukraine, which means spending more time here. There could be variations to the approaches as well as to the timing and duration. This is just a short introduction so that you have an idea of what to do.

If you have travelled frequently, you will find this topic easy. If you have not done a great deal of travelling, it can all be a bit overwhelming, especially if you have limited time. Where do we start? Are our passports still valid? How can we prepare an extract from the medical history? Do we need to legalize our marriage certificate? Which airlines fly to Ukraine? Do we need visas to travel to Ukraine? Do we need a lawyer? Where will we stay? Ooh… Too many questions indeed. Your brain will cease to be “red” when, in a few months later, you will be boarding your flight to Kiev.

If you have been to Kiev, you would have a fair idea of what to expect. Once you arrived at the airport, Parents Life’s managerial team will meet you on time; third-party taxi drivers cannot rip you off there. Depending on the time of your arrival and the duration of your stay (based on the plan of your treatment), we will develop a schedule of your stay in Kiev. We will try to spend most of our free time with you, accompanying you wherever we can.

The best thing to do next morning after your arrival is to meet us. You should dedicate a good part of your time to medical tests and legal documents. There are many different processes with diverse stakeholders or even within the same one. Everyone is different and has different circumstances. There are even some unforeseen circumstances to list that may require your involvement. Not everything can be covered just here.

Obviously, you need to be in Ukraine for egg retrieval, unless you are using IVF clinic at home and shipping your frozen embryos over to Ukraine. Your doctor will tell you when they plan to do the egg retrieval. Once the procedure is done, you will be notified on how many eggs were retrieved. The eggs are then fertilized with the intended father’s sperm to create the embryos. In five days, it is time to transfer your embryos, cross your fingers and pray they stick!

The two-week waiting will feel like the longest two weeks of your life, just keep extremely busy, try not to think about it and the result will be here before you know it. This is a very emotional time. It is physically draining and stressful. Anxiety levels are very high. It is best to prepare for the worst while hoping for the best. A positive pregnancy result is a fantastic news although you still have a long way to go. At this stage, the gestational age of your embryo is four weeks.

Congratulations! Assuming that you are still reading on because you have a positive result, you have overcome the first hurdle. This is only the first in a long journey. It is very exciting but still very nerve wracking because you are so far away. It is better to wait for further tests to determine this, as this is not a reliable indication. Three weeks later the first ultrasound scan will be done to determine the number of gestational sacs. So be patient, you will know soon enough!

Do not wait for your baby to be born to do this. Usually once you passed the riskiest stage of the pregnancy, if all is going along smoothly, it is better to start getting the wheels in motion to bring your baby home when he/she is born. Citizenship for your baby has to be obtained before you can leave Ukraine. Different countries may have different processes and need to be contacted directly to find out the correct process.

Being over organized and having too much information is better than not having enough, resulting in delays in leaving Ukraine. Please, gather the documents you will need for the process. There are baby shops in Kiev of course, so you can buy everything that you may need, or forgot to take with you there. You can never be too careful. Now when you bought everything, all your papers are in order (airplane tickets, passport and visa), it is time to board the plane for Ukraine again.

As stated previously, Parents Life will meet you when you arrive at the airport. A private minibus will take you straight to your accommodation. After a good rest, it will be the right time to start waiting for happiness. We suggest that you meet with your surrogate the day after at a maternity hospital to make it for the final ultrasound scan. Nothing can happen before your baby is born but it is a good idea to keep up with everything.

Being in the ward of the maternity hospital, it seems like you have been waiting an eternity for this. When you receive that long awaited message from Parents Life, it seems so surreal. Your baby is born, and you became happy parents! A few hours later, the pediatrician checks a newborn over and give approval to bring him/her to your ward. Now begins the fun with the paper trails. It is so important to get this right and in perfect order, otherwise delays could keep you in Ukraine.

It is recommended for the intended parents to do their DNA testing while they are in Ukraine. Once the lab has received your phone call, a representative arrives at the place where the test is taken and conducts all necessary actions. There will be a standard fee but normally the lab has a fast tracking fee, as well, if you wish to speed up the things to get your baby home quickly. This is highly recommended and well worth it for the few extra dollars.

The question that crosses many lips and will cross intended mother’s mind is “would I have the same bond with my baby whom I did not carry?” Your answer should be “Yes”. As soon as your baby is placed in your breast, you will feel the same emotions and the same love that you would have felt if you were carrying your baby yourself. Generally, the baby is taken straight after the birth so that a surrogate has no time to bond and to see the baby. There is no need for any contact with her.

This list includes only brief papers: a) paperwork from the IVF clinic, a surrogate and the maternity hospital, b) DNA testing (if necessary), c) baby’s birth certificate, d) passport photos of a baby, e) baby’s passport, and f) exit visa.

As soon as your baby is born, the notary will go to the maternity hospital with the necessary paperwork to get a surrogate’s written consent relinquishing parental rights; make sure your baby’s name is spelt correctly and in the correct order, as any mistake there may lead to unnecessary surprises. Several documents will also need to be collected from the IVF clinic and the maternity hospital. Having done this, we will be able to proceed with getting the birth certificate.

When a baby is born in Ukraine, the intended parents are required to register the birth at the local Civil Registry Office within 30 days from the date of birth. Parents Life collects and makes copies of passports and all documents pertaining to the baby’s place and date of birth. Birth certificate applications are collected daily. It will take up to 7 days to process the birth certificate after the birth date. Its further legalization and translation will take up to two weeks.

This is a priority. You will need 8 passport photos of your baby. Well, actually six but it is better to have a couple of extra just in case. Parents Life arranges a photographer as soon as possible. These photos need to be signed by the appropriate people (you) to verify the baby. The Embassies prefer baby’s pictures with the open eyes, but they understand that this is not always possible.

You will go straight to the Embassy of your country. You do not need to take your baby to this appointment. As soon as you have that passport in your hand, you can confirm your flights home and book your baby’s ticket. You should allow three days to be able to get your exit visa. Also at this point of time, make sure that you have left nothing untied. All your accounts are paid and there are no discrepancies.

YOU WILL ARRIVE HOME TO THE WARMEST WELCOME! YOU WILL HAVE THE AIRPORT FILLED WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. WHEN YOU WILL TAKE A LITTLE BABY OUT OF HIS/HER CRADLE, THE SMILES WILL BROADEN!

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