Gestational Carriers

Gestational carrier arrangements can be a great option for couples where the female partner is unable to carry a child to term or has been advised by her physician that it is not medically advisable for her to become pregnant. Gestational carrier arrangements can also allow gay male couples (with the additional assistance of an egg donor) to become parents. Regardless of the particular background of the intended parents, they all share the same strong desire to become parents. Because a gestational carrier arrangement is a difficult way, both emotionally and financially, for someone to have a child, women who agree to become gestational carriers can feel comfortable that the children they are helping bring into this world will be wanted and loved.

Why Work with Us? Because we have been matching gestational carriers with Intended Parents since 1999, we have the experience to know what is important to carriers and intended parents. In addition,

• We have a waiting list of clients looking to be matched with a gestational carrier.
  
  
• Your profile and photographs will only be able to be viewed by potential intended parents through a password protected database or in our office.
  
  
• We have built a solid reputation through hard work and by treating clients and carriers fairly.
  
  
• We allow carriers to set their own fees while recognizing that carrier fees still need to be reasonable so that carriers are more likely to get matched quickly.
  
  
• We can put carriers in touch with women who have already gone through or are currently going through the gestational carrier process so you can ask questions to someone who has personal experience.

The Gestational Carrier Process – Gestational carrier arrangements are done through an IVF procedure whereby the intended mother's (or an egg donor's) ovaries are stimulated with hormone stimulation medications to have the intended mother/donor produce multiple eggs. While the intended mother's/donor's ovaries are being stimulated, the gestational carrier will be required to take hormone medications to cause the endometrial lining of her uterus to develop. The eggs are removed from the intended mother's/donor's ovaries and then are fertilized with sperm from the intended father or a sperm donor. A number of the resulting embryos (the exact number to be discussed and agreed upon between the gestational carrier and the intended parents after consultation with the IVF physician) are then transferred to the uterus of the carrier. The carrier will continue on hormone medications after the transfer and usually for the first nine to twelve weeks of pregnancy. Because some hormone medications are given through injections, women who are afraid of needles or unwilling to have such injections should not become gestational carriers.

After being matched with intended parents, carriers will be medically and psychologically screened by the fertility clinic with which the intended parents are working. While the screening process varies slightly from clinic to clinic, carriers usually complete a medical questionnaire, undergo an in person medical and psychological evaluation, and receive medication training. Carriers usually will meet the intended parents' IVF physician, a nurse, and a mental health professional. Carriers should use this consultation appointment to ensure that they receive answers to all of their medical and psychological questions regarding the gestational carrier process.

However, we understand that you may have questions about the IVF process before you can decide whether to become a gestational carrier. While questions of a medical nature must, of course, be directed to an appropriate medical provider, you can find more information about the medical aspects of gestational carrier arrangements from websites of various fertility clinics. Websites of some of the clinics our clients work with most often include:

Healthbanks
User ID 647626301
Password rscb781
Go to "How is Infertility Treated"
"Egg Recipient Process"

Boston IVF
The Egg Donor Program Recipient Handbook is written primarily for intended parents working with an egg donor where the female partner will carry the child herself. However, because a gestational carrier will be required to undergo the same medical steps as an intended mother in an egg donor cycle, this Handbook has a lot of useful medical information about the IVF process.

Becoming a Gestational Carrier Through Our Program and The Matching Process - To become a gestational carrier through our program, you must be:

• between the ages of 21 and 39,

• in good overall health

• and have had at least one live birth

In addition, some clinics limit the number of pregnancies a prospective carrier can have had, as well as the number of cesarean sections a prospective carrier has had.

Women of all ethnic and educational backgrounds are encouraged to submit an application. Prior carriers are strongly encouraged to participate in our program. While we are based in Massachusetts and therefore many of our clients are from the New England area, we work with clients from all over the United States and from many foreign countries. Accordingly, we usually are able to match carriers from all areas in a short amount of time.

The process of matching carriers with intended parents begins with carriers completing a short initial application. Please click here to fill out an Initial Gestational Carrier Form. After we review your application, we will contact you to discuss the gestational carrier process in greater detail and answer any questions that you may have. We also will send you a more extensive gestational carrier questionnaire for you to complete. Intended parents most often are looking to work with a carrier who enjoys being pregnant, has not had any major complications with any of her pregnancies, and who is emotionally and financially stable.

Once a carrier's profile is selected by intended parents, we will contact the carrier and send her a copy of the intended parents' profile. Initially, no identifying information will be provided to either party. Assuming the carrier is interested in working with the intended parents, we will promptly arrange a telephone call and then a meeting between the carrier and the intended parents. If everyone agrees to work together, the carrier's profile will be sent to the intended parents' clinic and the medical and psychological screening process will begin.

Carrier Fees and Expenses - The standard fee for carriers in Massachusetts is between $20,000 and $22,000, with some experienced carriers receiving a higher fee. Additional fees are typically paid for carrying multiples. Carrier will also receive a maternity clothing allowance, life insurance, as well as reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the gestational carrier cycle, including travel expenses, if necessary.

Legal Issues - Once matched with clients, carriers will be referred to an independent attorney who will review the Gestational Carrier Agreement with them. Carriers are free to request any changes to the agreement to make them comfortable with the process. Fees for the carrier's attorney are paid by the Intended Parents. After a pregnancy is achieved, the intended parents' attorney will assist with the legal work to have the intended parents, and not the gestational carrier, declared the legal parents of the child. This can usually be done prior to the birth.

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