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Doug & Bretts Surrogacy Tips

A Few Tips for those going or thinking of going through surrogacy:

  • Get a sleeved folder and take all docos and phone numbers with you. (GGs should provide you with all phone numbers and addresses you’ll need. But take everyone’s (Surrogacy Boys) emails etc as you may need to get some good advice from those of us that have gone through process.
  • Use your support network in Australia. Don’t hesitate. Don’t sit in a USA hotel room agonising over things you can’t understand. Email or phone home and get information and reassurance from those who have gone through the process.
  • Get some good sleeping pills for the flight and you may need to take for the first night or so to get body in sync. (Avoid napping after arriving in the states – get into the time zone asap)
  • Think twice about hiring a car, especially in LA (taxi’s are easier and less stressful) unless you plan to travel around a lot and are confident driving in US. If you hire a car make sure you book it online first. Alamo is good. www.alamo.com If you just front up they may charge a lot more. If you have RACV membership, you may get a discount at counter as affiliated with AAA. Check to see if your Aussie credit card will cover the extra car insurances, which can double the cost of car hire. The new Qantas ‘Earth’ card claims to cover it. Also, RACV Holidays offers an insurance policy to cover the extra car insurance which is well worth it if you are hiring for 3 or more days.
  • Try and book things in LA - hire cars - hotels through GGs as it may be cheaper.
  • We highly recommend staying at the Bel Age in LA (try get a room looking over LA city and Sunset Bvd 7th floor or above (views are great). This is where egg donors and Surrogates generally stay when in town www.belagehotel.com and yes, the pool is as good as it looks. Book through the GG’s travel agent as they get a good rate. Harlan is the contact. 310 246 5400. The Ramada is close by and also quite good and a bit cheaper but you get what you pay for. www.ramada.com When IVF transfer time comes we found it easier to stay at the same hotel as your surrogate for support / contact etc.
  • Get an international phone card at a 7/11 type store or liquor store. It is much much cheaper than anything else. Last time my mobile phone bill was $700 +. This time I used $20 worth of phone cards. I still have about $6 credits left. I called home due to the business about 30 times, plus stacks of USA calls. If you buy it in LA and are travelling out of LA make sure you buy one that you can use out of LA. Does that make sense?
  • Make sure your hotel has Internet access and take your laptop. It is miles better than an Internet café.
  • In the days leading up to the IVF transfer, clarify with the IVF doctor about the surrogate’s Progesterone levels, as they seem to be an issue eg. Ask them what the procedure is and if they are checked prior to transfer and increased if needed. This may avoid any angst on day of transfer as some of us have experienced due to low Progesterone levels. This site has good information about the subject. http://www.ivf1.com/infertility-progesterone/ I wish we had this site a weeks ago.
  • If you are staying for more than a few days, check long stay accommodation. It is much cheaper than hotels. www.extendedstayhotels.com
  • Both partners are required to have blood tests completed even if only one donating (at least we did with Dr Ringler). The sperm donor/s may need to get two lots done – one before donating sperm and then again about 1 month after donating sperm. Get them completed in Australia, as it may cost you in excess of 1000 US$ to get them completed in LA. We got all our tests done at Kilby Road Medical Centre in Kew with Dr Savas – he knows all the tests now and they bulk billed for them as well. Generally the list of tests would include the following (but get latest list from your IVF clinic):
  • Hep B surface antigen
    Hep B core antibody
    Hep C antibody
    HIV 1 antibody
    HIV 2 antibody
    HTLV 1 & 2 antibodies
    CMV IgM/IgG
    RPR or VDRL
    West Nile Virus IgG and IgM (you may need to get this done is US as unknown here)
    GC/Chlamydia (urine)
  • Growing Generations seems to use two IVF clinics – California Fertility Partners (Dr Ringler) and Pacific Futures (Dr Sahakian). Procedures at both clinics seem to differ a little in blood screenings required and in other aspects, so don’t assume anything – ask plenty of questions about procedure once you have been assigned a doctor/clinic.
  • If you are in LA early in the process, and want to see the IVF Dr for a “chat” be prepared to pay for it. It cost us about $300 US for our chat with Dr Ringler that we thought would be ‘complimentary’.
  • I you go for a ‘proven egg donor’ make sure you can get the full details about her previous donations eg. Follicles produced, number of eggs fertilised, number transferred, number of embryos frozen, and any resultant pregnancy. We went with a ‘previous donor’ but could not find out details of her previous 3 donations. We ended up with only 2 embryos (thankfully perfect ones) but none to freeze, so if they did not take, we would have had to go back to drawing board and find another donor at great expense not to mention emotion and stress.
  • The egg donor is probably the most crucial component. The surrogate is less likely to be a problem, in so much as they have normally had children previously and are proven, though chemistry between all concerned may play a part in success or failure.
  • BUPA insurance and other surrogacy related insurance.
    Make sure your insurance will cover you adequately and don’t expect the insurance company or insurance agents to alert you to any possible pitfalls. Check all your insurance meticulously and get any promises or assurance from those involved in insurance in writing.
  • Organise a visit to the hospital where the birth will take place and meet with senior medical staff to ensure everyone in the medical chain understands that YOU are the parents. You, your surrogate and your OB may be across the surrogacy process but others who will be crucial at the time of birth may not be. You don’t need a ‘who the hell are you’ attitude from anyone as you prepare for the birth. 
  • We didn’t get a car this time. Much easier, cheaper and good for the relationship.
  • Long stay accommodation outlets like Studioplus www.studioplus.com will offer big discounts for longer stays, but you must ask at the desk. It appears to us that any accommodation outlet will talk turkey for longer stays but you must ask face to face at the desk.
  • Ensure there are not major events being staged near your preferred accommodation on your return, robbing you of that accommodation.  
  • Ask your surrogate to ask her family and friends if they know of apartments for short-term rent in their area. Anna’s mother in law has organised a great apartment for us in her compound for $50US per night. 

    Do everything you can to get a 3 D scan.


     

That’s all we can think of for now.

Doug & Brett - Posted 10 August 2006

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