If after reading this explanation of the surrogacy process you are interested, please e-mail your postive response to Darlene@aperfectmatch.com

A PERFECT MATCH, INC.

A Perfect Match works with individual families who have medical conditions leading to infertility and surrogates who are willing to help them in their attempt to achieve a pregnancy. There are times when other agencies specializing in surrogacy and/or egg donation may contact us to help them find a surrogate who is suitable for their particular client.

A Perfect Match does not choose the professionals involved with the surrogacy process. We facilitate by acting as the liaison between the prospective parents, the surrogate, the agency, and the professionals performing the procedures and screening. Our job will be to coordinate the surrogacy process, including the screening process, as directed by the primary physician.

All medical professionals are chosen by the prospective parents. We encourage our surrogates to investigate the medical service provider chosen by the parents and satisfy themselves as to their professionalism and expertise. We will give you the contact information for that center so you may speak with the doctor directly. If you are uncomfortable with that center for any reason, we ask that you notify us immediately.

THERE ARE POTENTIAL RISKS INHERENT WITH ALL ASPECTS OF THE SURROGACY MEDICAL PROCESS AND PROCEDURES, INCLUDING TAKING ANY MEDICATION. IT IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SURROGATE TO INVESTIGATE ALL SUCH RISKS AND TO DISCUSS ALL MEDICAL ISSUES WITH THE PRIMARY PHYSICIAN

Surrogacy Information

We are pleased that you have expressed an interest in helping infertile families through surrogacy. This general information is to help you understand the procedures involved for surrogacy. This information may be modified by the physician and or intended parents. If after reading this information you are still interested in being considered, we ask that you contact our office through email or by phone at 1-800-264-8828.

The first step in the surrogacy process is the recruitment of a surrogate who is between the age of 21-35. You will be asked to fill out a profile and to send photos. Our office will assign a number to your profile and that is the way you will be identified. At no time will any identifying information be given to an intended parent without your permission unless you enter into an agreement. A phone conference will be arranged by our office when it is desired by all parties involved. A personal meeting is also generally a part of the process.

Definitions of surrogate types:

Traditional Surrogacy:

Involves a surrogate mother who, using her own eggs, is artifically inseminated with the semen of the prospective father. She then carries and gives birth to the child.

Some traditional surrogates may also go through the in vitro fertilization process as an egg donor then, after the eggs are harvested and fertilized, the embryos are transferred back into the surrogates uterus. She then carries and gives birth to the child.

Gestational Surrogacy:

Involves both an egg donor or intended parent and a gestational surrogate. Through the process of in vitro fertilization, eggs provided by an egg donor or intended parent are fertilized with the sperm of the prospective father. The resulting embryos are then transferred to the gestational surrogate who then carries and gives birth to the child.

Once you are chosen by a family, you will be asked to have physical, psychological and infectious disease screening. There will be no cost to the surrogate for these screening. If you are a traditional surrogate, you will also be required to have genetic testing. Our surrogate and intended parents are located throughout the country. You may be required to travel to the location of the clinic chosen by the intended parents. If you are required to travel outside of your home area all expenses will be paid for by the intended parents. These expenses will include flights, hotel, meals, etc. Many of the screenings can be performed in your home area and the results will be forwarded to the physician who will be performing the embryo transfer.

SCREENING

Please do not get any tattoos, or body piercings from the time you agree to act as a surrogate. The State of California requires a surrogate to wait 6 months after having any body piercingand 1 year from receiving a tattoo before she can act as a surrogate. This is due to the increased risk of infectious diseases.

Potential surrogates are carefully screened and must pass a number of tests as required by our program and mandated by the State of California. These tests can be performed at a location that is convenient to your home and will be arranged by the physician in charge of the cycle.

Medical Screening
is performed to ensure that the surrogate is physically capable of undergoing the surrogacy process. She will also be tested for sexually transmitted or other transmissible diseases which will include: HIV, HTLV-1 & 2, Hepatitis B & C An ultrasound and vaginal cultures will also be required. *The sexual partner of the surrogate MUST be screened for sexually transmitted diseases.*There is a possibility of a urine screening for drugs.

Psychological Screening
is to ensure that a surrogate fully understands the emotional ramifications of surrogacy. An MMPI or other type of personality assessment will be administered at that time.

Genetic Screening
is performed on traditional surrogates to identify individuals who are carriers of genetically transmitted diseases such as cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia and Tay-Sachs disease. A surrogate may be screened for other diseases based on the findings of the Geneticist or the desires of the intended parents.

Background screening
is required on all of our surrogates as well as partner or spouse. We will also make every attempt to conduct background screening on our intended parents as well.

If the surrogate is not already taking oral contraceptives, she may receive a prescription for birth control. These are given to help regulate the surrogate's cycle and will allow the physician to coordinate her cycle with that of the egg donor or intended parent. You may be asked to start birth control prior to having the contract signed.

LEGAL CONTRACT

Once the surrogate has been evaluated and all the screening is complete you will receive a referral list of attorneys who specialize in Surrogacy Law. You will be asked to select an attorney. The donor and the intended parents will have separate counsel and the surrogate's attorney will be paid for by the intended parents. You will enter into a contract with the intended parents and this legally binding contract should not be entered into lightly. The contract will cover issues such as compensation, legal obligations of the surrogate, conduct, etc. The intended parents attorney is called the drafting attorney; and the surrogate's attorney is called the reviewing attorney. The drafting attorney will send a contract to the reviewing attorney. The reviewing attorney is responsible for getting a copy of the contract to you. Once you have read the contract you will be asked to have a conference, either in person or by phone, with your attorney to discuss any changes you might want. Your attorney will relay these requests to the intended parents attorney. Once a contract is decided upon all parties will be required to sign. Medications cannot begin until all parties have signed the contract. A letter will be sent to the IVF physician by the drafting attorney to notify them that we can proceed.

COMPENSATION

Compensation is generally paid throughout the pregnancy. The first amount is paid when a surrogate begins a medication called Lupron. The amount is $750.00 and will be paid to you by our office through priority mail once we receive confirmation that you began the medication. The second installment is $500.00 paid on the day of embryo transfer. The balance of the agreed upon compensation is usually paid in monthy installments.

Surrogates must refrain from sexual intercourse once medications begin. You will be extremely fertile during this time. The surrogate will be asked to either abstain from sexual relations or to use a combination of effective barriers prior to starting any of the medications and to completely abstain from the beginning of medications until cleared by your physician. This can be from three months to the end of your pregnancy depending on the status of your pregnancy and the orders of your physician. You will also be asked to curtail any heavy exercising during the medication stage and possibly throughout the pregnancy.

MEDICATIONS

On day 21 of her cycle a surrogate will begin the first of her medications. A medication called Lupron is a daily subcutaneous injection. (It sounds worse than it is!) This needle is a tiny, 2 inch insulin type needle. A health care professional will teach you how to administer this to yourself. Lupron is not a fertility medication and is given to keep the ovaries from ovulating. A different form of Lupron is used by some IVF centers and is given as a one time injection. You will have a flow within a week to ten days. A vaginal ultrasound will be performed to make sure the ovaries are quiet.

Once the surrogate and intended parent, or egg donor all have their flows the next medication will be administered for endometrial stimulation. Some surrogates have complaints of hot flushes, moodiness and headaches We have found that if surrogates lead active lives they generally have fewer complaints and many have no complaints at all.

Estradiol/Delestrogen is a medication that is used to thicken the endometrial lining to prepare for the implantation process. This medication is administered twice weekly at start of endometrial stimulation and can continue through the 12th week of pregnancy depending on your physicians protocol. These medications are given as intramuscular injections. You will receive further instructions on how to administer these injections by your physician's office.

During the endometrial stimulation phase you will be required to have a blood test and ultrasound performed on day 7 or as directed by your physician Some centers will require the surrogate to have their day 7 ultrasound at their center only. Other centers allow the surrogate to remain in their home area until the day of embryo transfer. Until a center is chosen by the family we will not know the protocol you will be asked to follow, but you will be informed as quickly as possible.

The blood tests and ultrasounds will help the physician determine the thickness of your endometrial lining. These tests are generally done between 7-9 am. Once the endometrial lining is at the appropriate thickness and the intended parent, or egg donor are ready to have the egg retrieval you will be required to start some form of Progesterone to assist with and sustain implantation.The form of Progesterone may be in an intramuscular injection form or vaginal suppository per your physician's orders. Progesterone may be continued thru the 12th week of pregnancy.

PROCEDURE

The embryo transfer procedure will be performed 2-5 days after the donor or intended parents eggs have been harvested and fertilized. Embryo transfers usually take approximately 30 minutes. Prior to the transfer you may receive a medication, in pill form, to help you relax. The embryo transfer is performed with a very fine catheter that is inserted vaginally into the uterus through the cervix. You will be required to stay in a head-down position for approximately 1 hour following the transfer procedure. Someone should be available to drive you home and you will be instructed to go on bedrest for a specified period of time by your physician which is usually between 24-72 hours.

If you have to fly for your procedure, you may be required to stay through the period specified for bedrest. This decision will be made by your physician and intended parents. All expenses will be covered by the intended parents.

Following your embryo transfer your activity may be restricted. These restrictions will be determined by your physician and intended parents.

As you can see, there is a large commitment on your part and everyone will be counting on you to do everything in the manner that is required by the physician. For you the benefit will be financial compensation, plus the satisfaction of attempting to help someone who might otherwise not be able to have a child. The gift you are offering is beyond measure and we will do everything in our power to make this a positive experience. We will treat you with all the respect we sincerely believe you deserve.

Please contact our office to let us know if you are interested in continuing with the process.

For More Information Darlene@aperfectmatch.com 1-800-264-8828