What are the Medical Aspects of Surrogacy?
Are you an intended parent or surrogate mother trying to learn more about the medical aspects of surrogacy? Are you trying to find out what you need to prepare for? Let’s go through the medical process and requirements that you will see on your surrogacy journey. As you can expect, the medical journey of the surrogacy process can seem complicated. But with a well-organized surrogate agency, the medical aspects of your journey can seem easy to take on. Whether as an intended parent or surrogate mother, it is important to be prepared for what screenings and procedures you will face. We at Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado believe you deserve security and protection throughout your journey so you can achieve your goal of growing your family or helping someone grow their family.
If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a surrogate, please call or text us at 303-670-4673 (HOPE) or visit us at Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado.
Why are Health Screenings Provided and What are the Medical Aspects of Surrogacy?
At the beginning of your surrogacy journey, you will have to go through health screenings, whether as a gestational carrier or intended parent. We provide health screenings because it keeps everyone involved safe. For surrogate mothers, you will go through physical and mental health screenings. This will help make sure you are fully prepared for your surrogacy journey. The health screenings are looking for sexually transmitted diseases and infections that could affect the pregnancy. In addition to the testing, you will also go through fertility treatments to prepare you for the transfer process. Our agency provides these screenings to ensure your mental, physical, and emotional well-being.
What is The Surrogacy Process?
A major part of the Colorado surrogacy process is embryo transfer. Our agency provides gestational surrogacy, which means the surrogate mother carries the fertilized egg of the intended mother. This ensures that the surrogate mother is in no way genetically linked to the child. Gestational surrogacy is done through in-vitro fertilization or IVF. This is when the intended mother’s egg is fertilized by the sperm of the intended father in the lab. The surrogate mother then carries the egg to term. If the intended parents cannot provide an egg or sperm for the IVF process, we can help them find a donor. Gestational surrogacy is one of the safer options for the surrogate mother, which is why we provide it. With our team of licensed professionals, you can rest assured that your safety is our top priority.
What are the Requirements to Become a Surrogate Mother?
There are necessary requirements to becoming a surrogate. These requirements are to ensure that you are fully prepared to take on the role of a gestational carrier. Some requirements are, but are not limited to:
- Being between the ages of 21 and 39
- Cannot have any mental health issues
- Have had at least one healthy pregnancy
- Must be parenting at least one child
- Have a stable house life and support system
Most importantly, we look for surrogate mothers with large hearts who are driven to help someone grow their family. The surrogate mother is looking for a fulfilling and connective experience. By working with our agency, we can help intended parents and surrogate mothers reach their common goal of growing a family.
What are the Medical aspects of Surrogacy?
The surrogacy journey can seem overwhelming at first, but your journey can go smoothly with an organized Colorado surrogacy agency. The medical process is a step that can ensure your safety and well-being. As an intended parent or a surrogate, we want to make sure you are protected and prepared. Now that you know more about the medical requirements for surrogacy, are you ready to take the next steps? How can you best prepare for the journey ahead of you?
If you are interested in learning more about your gestational surrogacy options, contact Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado by email, phone, or text: Email Us, Text us: 720-371-1099, Call us: 303-670-4673 (HOPE). If you are hoping to adopt, please contact us here.
Meet the Author: Courtney Chunglo is a California-based writer who keeps her poetry romantic and her prose thrilling. Courtney has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. Her poetry has been published in Sonoma State University’s anthology titled, Zaum XXI where she also served as one of the editors for the short story submissions.
Courtney grew up in a family of women storytellers who could make you feel, hear, smell, and even taste their tales. This inspiration to tell stories and being a voracious reader morphed into an unshakable desire to write. Possessed by the pen, Courtney strives to engage readers’ intellect and satisfy their need for a good story.
Stephanie joined the Adoption Choices family in 2014 as the Child Placement Supervisor. Her love for adoption began in first grade when she made friends with twins adopted from Vietnam. Her heart grew strong over the years for adopted children and ultimately led her to graduate school where she continued her focus to her dream of working in the adoption field. Stephanie earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver in 2001. Over the past 15 years, Stephanie has worked as a pregnancy counselor and as an adoptive parent counselor for foster care, international adoption and domestic adoption, writing hundreds of home studies for families, and helping build their forever families. Stephanie is married and has three boys ages 12, 9, and 5. Together with her family she enjoys riding bike, playing games, watching her three sons compete in their various sporting and musical activities and go on vacations.
Christy Ikeler, is our Executive Director and Birth Parent Director. Christy has been with Adoption Choices Team for 18 years, since opening the doors in 2002! Christy has a true passion for what she does and her true love is working with and helping each birth parent. Whether she is up all night on the phone talking with them, taking them to doctors appointments, out for their favorite treat, providing counseling or at the hospital during labor and delivery, Christy is very involved every step of the way. She has a contagious laugh and a spunky personality that our birth moms all can bond with and relate to. As an adoptive parent herself, adoption holds a very special place in her heart and she can relate on every level with both birth parents and adoptive parents. In her free time Christy loves spending time with her daughter, gardening, baking and taking vacations with her family. Christy is an excellent leader for our team at Adoption Choices and is truly one of a kind!! As Executive Director, Christy spends time with the staff, birth parents and adoptive families in order to ensure that the agency is running smoothly. She has placed a huge emphasis on community outreach and programs for birth parents. Christy loves the opportunity to lead the agency into a brighter future.
Ms. Mackenzie has built a successful counseling career over the past 20 years, supporting mothers and families, people of all ages and genders, students, community professionals and fellow clinicians. Liv values a diverse professional focus, including the entrepreneurial life of a sole proprietor, the evaluative process of certifying foster/adoptive homes, the insightful and mindful one-on-one one work with enthusiastic clients, and serving as an advocate for underserved populations. Liv is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a BA in Pre-Law and Economics from American University, an MA in Counseling from Adams University and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Villanova University. Away from work you will find Liv spending time in nature, biking to the farmer’s market and adventuring with her family.
Catherine A. Madsen, joined the Adoption Choices family as legal counsel in 2013. Catherine is responsible for providing legal guidance to the Agency, training and updating staff on developments in adoption law and legislation, and program development. Catherine
Virginia Frank is an adoption attorney accredited since 1991 with the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. Ms. Frank is a leader in the field of private adoption and has completed over 4,000 adoptions in her career. Ms. Frank has a law degree from Oklahoma City University and a BA in both Political Science and Communications from the University of Oklahoma.
Cassidie has been with Adoption Choices since 2015, she has her bachelors in Interdisciplinary Affairs with concentrations in both Sociology and Business Management. Cassidie has additional training in Victim Advocacy, foster care and has been working in women’s services for over 10 years. Cassidie has always had a heart for adoption and it was her career dream to work in adoption. She started off doing volunteer work for advocacy programs, adoption organizations and worked in High Risk Maternal Fetal Medicine through the University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Colorado. Cassidie is also blessed to have personally experienced an adoption of her own in 2012, completing her family of five! Cassidie loves what she does as a case worker from initial phone calls, meetings, doctor appointments, interaction with the adoptive families to delivery and counseling. Cassidie has a passion for those in need and strives to help make a difference in the lives of the people she meets. She is a firm believer in being kind, compassionate and open minded in all situations. “Unless you’ve walked in their shoes, there’s no place for judgment. A kind word or compliment can go a long way!” The bittersweet moments in adoption reminds Cassidie each and every time, why she loves what she does!