Being a Surrogate During a Pandemic

Had you told me in February, after we decided to do surrogacy for the second and final time, that just one month later we would be in the middle of a global pandemic, I would’ve laughed at you. Hysterically, too. Pair that with the fact that I am now a surrogate during a pandemic, and I am here to say, it is insane!

But here we were, in the process of getting pregnant with someone else’s baby. This second surrogacy journey has been an interesting one given…well…the pandemic. There are just so many different working parts as it relates to COVID-19. For instance, our legal contract now includes language about the coronavirus. Also, our medical clearance was put on hold because of the pandemic.

However, I am happy to report that starting families is and always will be essential to society.

Our Surrogacy Timeline

• 02/12/20 – Surrogacy agency reached out to me asking if I would be interested in completing a second journey.
• 02/19/20 – Surrogacy agency sent me over a profile of an Intended Parent (or IP) to review.
• 02/24/20 – My husband and I said yes to this profile! My profile was then sent to the IP.
• 02/27/20 – IP says yes to my profile.
• 03/04/20 – I selected a day for our “match” call. Think of this like a first date.
• 03/05/20 – My husband and I said YES. IP says YES. Now we are matched!
• 03/10/20 – Appointments scheduled at IP’s fertility clinic for medical and psychological clearance.
• 03/17/20 – Trip to Connecticut cancelled due to the coronavirus.
• 05/22/20 – Trip to Connecticut re-scheduled for June.
• 06/22/20 – Trip to Connecticut takes place!!
• 07/01/20 – After receiving complete medical and psychological clearance, we were sent our 91-page contract to review.
• TBD – Contract will need to be signed and notarized by all parties (me, my husband, IP).
• TBD – After contract is signed, transfer day will be set by the fertility clinic, and I will start my meds.

Surrogacy Journey Amidst a Pandemic

To say being a surrogate in the middle of a pandemic is interesting is the biggest understatement! There are so many more things that are going into this process.

• Our contract now has “act of God” language that specifies a pandemic.
• The contract also has details about how I must follow CDC guidelines after getting pregnant.
• Our trip to Connecticut was rescheduled from April to June. That just meant that my clearance from the fertility doctor got delayed until we could go in June.
• Prior to starting meds, I will need to be tested for COVID-19.
• Given the travel restrictions between Connecticut and Texas, if transfer takes place while there is still a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine if you travel from Texas to Connecticut, we either will not be able to schedule transfer due to necessary appointments. Or we will need to get expedited COVID testing to travel and bypass the 14-day self-quarantine if we have a negative test. (whew!)

How the Pandemic is Affecting Other Surrogates

If you Google “surrogacy during a pandemic” you will find so many recent articles detailing how surrogacy is being handled during a pandemic.

Scroll through a few of those articles and you will read of stories of couples in other countries, like China and France, who are using a USA gestational surrogate (meaning the baby is of no relation to the surrogate), that either had to delay meeting their child or have yet to meet their baby due to their country’s travel restrictions.

It is definitely causing a ripple effect in the surrogacy process because the biological parents are unable to be present for the birth and/or take their child home. We are very blessed that we are in the same country as our IP.

What’s Next for Me as a Surrogate During a Pandemic

After legal is finalized and the contract is signed and notarized, we can schedule the transfer and start my meds. The meds process is long and tedious, but it’s the most important part. We need my body to prepare to get pregnant, thus the hormones (Lupron and Progesterone). During this time of being on the meds, prior to the day of transfer, which is when they insert the embryo, I will be required to visit the fertility doctor several times for them to check my uterine lining to ensure that the meds are doing their job.

Once I get the all clear there, then we can move forward with the transfer.

As of the day of transfer, I would be two weeks and five days pregnant, as that is how old the embryo will be. Five days later, I will get blood work done to test for pregnancy. Then five days after that, I would have another set of blood work to make sure my beta levels are doubling every two days.

I hope that you all enjoy learning about surrogacy. It has been an experience that I will never forget, and one I am so proud to have done. I will keep everyone updated on the process through here, but if you wish to follow along more closely, come check out my Instagram! @taking.kara.myself