Surrogacy

Surrogacy is a treatment method when the embryos formed during the IVF cycle are transferred to the uterine of a woman that has no genetic connection to the embryos. During the surrogacy cycle oocytes of the infertile woman are fertilized with her husband’s sperm and placed in the uterine of the surrogate mother. Surrogacy is the most complicated program within IFV. Involvement of teh third person in childbirth became possible due to almost fantastic progress in medicine, which enabled women to feel the happiness of motherhood, whose infertility case was previously impossible to overcome. 

 

When do patients need surrogacy? The most widespread reason is the lack of the uterus. The uterus may lack since the birth or may be removed through surgical means. Other groups of patients include women with the high risk of miscarriage and those experiencing diseases when the pregnancy and childbirth are contraindicated (e.g. severe heart disease) and those who had numerous unsuccessful IVF attempts with inexplicable reasons. 

 

The basis of the surrogacy has the same principles as the cycles with donor oocytes. The woman who provides oocytes undergoes the IVF cycle. At the same time the uterus of the surrogate mother is being prepared for the implantation with estrogens and progesterone. Oocytes are extracted during an ambulatory procedure with a light anesthesia. Oocytes are fertilized with the husband’s sperm and cultivated during the next few days. On the transfer day the embryos with highest implantation potential are placed in surrogate mother's uterine cavity of . The quantity of transferred embryos depends on the age of the woman who has provided oocytes and the quality of developed embryos.

 

The percent of achieving pregnancy in the surrogacy cycles mostly depends on the age of the woman who has provided oocytes. With donor oocytes and surrogate mothers the efficiency of the treatment is the highest in the modern reproductive medicine reaching up to 70-75%.

 

The woman who has decided to become a surrogate mother can do it for humane reasons. That can be the relative of the close girlfriend of the infertile couple. Many become surrogate mothers for financial reasons as they get financial award for carrying a pregnancy. According to the Armenian legislation the surrogate mother’s age shouldn’t exceed 35 and she should have at least one child.

 

Before starting the IVF surrogasy procedure both genetic parents and surrogate mother sign a notarized contract which specifies the conditions for financial award and for the registration of the newborn baby.

 

Indications for IVF in the surrogacy program:

 

1. Lack of the uterus (inborn or acquired),
2. Deformations of the uterine cavity or its neck;
3. Immedicable commissures of the uterine cavity,
4. Extragenital and genital pathology, when carrying a pregnancy is contraindicated or is impossible,
5. Unsuccessful repeated IVF attempts when in case of acquiring embryos of high quality and their implantation didn’t result in pregnancy.

 

Requirements for surrogate mothers:

 

• physical and psychological health,
• aged between 18 and 35,
• availability of own healthy child.

 

Phases of the surrogacy program:

 

1. Synchronization of menstrual cycles of surrogate and genetic mothers with agonists of gonadotropin releasing hormones or oral contraceptives,
2. Preparation of the endometrium of the surrogate mother with estrogens and progesterone. Подготовка эндометрия суррогатной матери препаратами эстрогенов и прогестерона.
3. Stimulation of genetic mother’s ovulation with gonadotropins.
4. Puncture of genetic mother’s ovaries, fertilization of oocytes with the husband’s sperm,
5. Transfer of embryos to the uterine cavity of the surrogate mother.