Monthly Archives: February 2017
Surrogacy in Kenya
Surrogacy in Kenya has become a very actual topic in the field of fertility. Branches of professional surrogacy agencies are operating with amazing success rate in the capital city – Nairobi. We will introduce some important details about surrogacy in Kenya and figure out why or whether it is a practical destination choice.
Legislation
Surrogacy in Kenya is not regulated by the law. This means that there is no act that either restricts or supports intended parents. Lack of regulations allow surrogacy agencies to act more flexibly and adjust their actions to individual needs of each patient. Single, married and LGBT parents are all welcome by agencies and clinics in Kenya.
Parents do not have to worry that absence of law will complicate the process of getting the birth certificate. While it is fairly simple in countries where surrogacy is legal( e.g: Ukraine,Georgia) , in Kenya parents have to go through an additional procedure. The surrogate mother signs the affidavit relinquishing all her rights and gives custody to the genetic father. However, this is not problematic. Surrogate mothers are not likely at all to keep the child. They are providing a great help to infertile couples, but at the same time their motivation behind this action is their monetary interest. They have to improve lives of them and their families. For that reason, they will no doubt give parenthood to intended parents.
Quality of Service
Recently there has been a lot of changes in the field of surrogacy worldwide. A lot countries, including India, banned it. We can say that this fact turned out somewhat advantageous for Kenya. Indian doctors, who used to be successful when surrogacy was legal in India, are now owners of clinics in Nairobi. Thanks to professionalism of these doctors, parents do not have to worry about success rate and quality. Same applies to maternity hospitals. Of course IVF clinics are well equipped and enjoy well deserved good reputation. The last but not least, as we have already mentioned in the beginning, professional and experienced surrogacy agencies now offer their service in Kenya as well – most of them having huge egg donor databases. Everything for the most affordable prices.
Nairobi , the capital city of Kenya, is developed and modern – even closer to European cities than some cities in Southeast Asia. Travelling there is safe and a pleasant experience. Parents can even combine their visit with unforgettable safari holidays.
From everything we listed, we can now sum up the information.
Advantages
- Service is available to single and gay parents
- Quality of service and success rate are high
- City is safe, modern and developed
- Prices are realistic and affordable
Disadvantages
- Intended parents need consent of a surrogate mother
Verdict: Summarizing all pros and cons, we can tell that Kenya is an attractive option to consider. While parents may have some doubts about adoption procedure, surrogacy agencies are responsible for guaranteeing in advance that there will be no problems with the surrogate mother(that is what professional agencies do). Kenya is also one of the most cost effective options not to mention that lately we have faced lack of destinations for single and gay parents.
Pregnancy Complications
Pregnancy is a very special period that needs a lot of attention. A female body undergoes a number of changes during the gestation. It is a common experience to have mild headaches, nausea, dizziness and other minor discomforts. However if symptoms get even a bit disturbing, females should contact their doctors immediately. Lack of control and care may lead to serious pregnancy complications that may affect a baby as well.
Future parents should be informed about all common types of pregnancy complications and in case of noticing any of the symptoms, should be able to act accordingly.
Some of the common pregnancy complications include :
Nausea and vomiting
Nausea and vomiting are very frequent symptoms during pregnancy. While it is a common knowledge, females should also know that if nausea gets severe, it may be serious. Pregnant women suffering from heavy nausea may not be able to drink or eat. Malnutrition and dehydration can do harm to baby’s development.
Bleeding
Bleeding during pregnancy is a serious issue and needs an immediate attention.
It may indicate several things throughout the pregnancy. Heavy bleeding accompanied by abdominal pain could be a sign of ectopic pregnancy. Depending on the period of gestation when the bleeding occurs, it may mean miscarriage or placenta separating from the uterine lining (“placental abruption”).
Flu symptoms
Immune system weakens during pregnancy and makes females less resistant to flu. Doctors usually recommend pregnant women to get the flu vaccine. During gestation, females are more likely to experience flu complications that may become harmful for a baby too (in some cases even causing miscarriage). Flu vaccination is safe for mother and has benefits for a baby. When pregnant female gets vaccinated, antibodies are delivered to baby via placenta and protects child up to several months after delivery. Additionally, mother’s strengthened immune system can have a positive influence on unborn baby’s development.
Healthy meal plan, good rest and sleep, exercise and hygiene are the best things to follow in order to avoid getting sick during pregnancy.
Depression
Extreme sadness is a surprisingly common issue during pregnancy. Changes in body during and after pregnancy are usually responsible for symptoms similar to depression – anxiety, being moody and restless.Females may also feel irritation and swings in appetite. Mother’s extreme sadness has a negative influence on a baby. Sometimes if depression is severe, women may even think about harming themselves or babies. Therapy and medicines are essential to regulate mother’s mental condition.
Preterm labour
If female has regular contractions before the 37th week of gestation, it can be due to preterm labour. Before 37 weeks baby is considered to be premature and the preterm labour may cause health problems to him/her. If labour starts too early, it can be even fatal for a child. Medicines are used to delay the labour and a bed rest is usually advised. In sake of survival and satisfactory health, it is better for baby to be as mature as possible at the time of delivery.
Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is a serious condition and is diagnosed if a pregnant female has high blood pressure, too much protein in urine or problem with kidneys. Symptoms may also include blurred vision, headaches and dizziness. Preeclampsia starts after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Many females develop mild symptoms near to the due date. Doctors will need to induce the labour as delivery is the best option during the condition. These females will usually do just fine and give a birth to healthy children.
However situation may be risky if the symptoms are severe and it is too early to deliver. Doctor will have to watch mother and a child very closely, give them appropriate care, recommend bed rest and prescribe medicines to lower the blood pressure.
High blood pressure
If mother begins to have high blood pressure after 20 weeks of pregnancy and has no other symptoms, both mother and baby should be watched closely in order to exclude preeclampsia.
Gestational diabetes
Gestational diabetes or glucose intolerance means high blood sugar levels during pregnancy. Body doesn’t produce appropriate amounts of insulin, hormone that regulates sugar. In most cases, condition is temporary and mothers are able to control their blood sugar levels. They need to exercise and follow diet from their doctors.
Poorly monitored and controlled diabetes can cause serious consequences for a baby (early delivery, breathing problems). It may also increase the risk of preeclampsia.
Later in life, females who have experienced gestational diabetes, have a higher chance to develop type 2 diabetes. It is essential for them to control their weight and lead healthy lifestyles.
Ectopic pregnancy
Ectopic pregnancy is a condition when fertilized egg attaches itself outside of the uterus(instead of the inside). This kind of pregnancies are also referred to as tubal, because majority of them occur in the fallopian tube. Symptoms may include abdominal pain, dizziness, fainting and bleeding. Unfortunately ectopic pregnancy is a serious complication and needs to be spotted timely. It can be fatal because internal bleeding will begin if embryo tears the fallopian tube. There is no way to place tissue inside the uterus, so ending pregnancy is the only option during this condition.
Baby’s (fetal) problems
Unborn baby’s health should be monitored regularly.Sometimes females may feel them moving less than before. Doctor may also discover that baby is smaller than normal on the certain stage of pregnancy (gestational age). In order to detect baby’s health issues, such as problematic organs or problems with growth, doctors will need several tests. Treatments may vary. Sometimes it is advised to deliver early. On the other hand, baby might not be in trouble at all and mother may only need a special care(bed rest) before the delivery.
In order to prevent serious pregnancy complications, health of a mother and a child should be monitored regularly. Additionally, parents as well as other family members, should do their best to provide healthy and caring atmosphere for the yet unborn member of their family.
Stillbirth – Common Causes and Risk Factors
Stillbirth or fetal death is a loss of the pregnancy. It is not a very common occurrence, but unfortunately remains as a very painful experience for many parents. Reasons and risk factors that lead to stillbirth are various and it is not simple to talk about exact ones in advance. Our aim is to explore the incident as closely as possible and inform our readers about common causes and threats.
What is stillbirth?
Stillbirth is the death of a baby after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Most fetal deaths occur before a female goes into labor and a significantly less number of stillbirths happen during labour and birth. Miscarriage and stillbirth, both refer to a loss of pregnancy. The main difference lies within the stage of pregnancy when they occur (miscarriage before 20 weeks and stillbirth after). However stillbirth too has a further classification:
- An early stillbirth – happens between 20 – 27 weeks of pregnancy.
- A late stillbirth – happens between 28-36 weeks.
- A term stillbirth – happens during/after 37th week.
If a female stops to feel a baby moving or kicking, experiences cramping , pain and bleeding from the vagina, she should immediately call a doctor or go straight to the emergency room. The healthcare provider will use an ultrasound to check baby’s heartbeat.
Causes of stillbirth in the womb
While causes of stillbirth can be completely individual, based on the experience we listed all of the common reasons:
- Problems with the placenta
The exact reason why placenta may not function normally is not yet completely understood. However, we know that problems with the placenta is one of the most common causes of baby’s death in the uterus. As placenta provides oxygen and nutrients for the baby, it’s dysfunction causes problems with baby’s growth.
It may happen that placenta separates from the wall of the uterus before birth. This condition is called placental abruption. Females who smoke during pregnancy, are more likely to experience placental abruption than others.
Obesity, smoking, frequent alcohol and drug intake reduce the oxygen delivered to a baby via placenta.
If a female is several weeks past her due date, the placenta may not longer be as functional as before. In this case doctors will normally suggest to induce the labour in order to prevent placenta from ‘wearing out’.
- Infections
Infections in placenta, mother or a child may cause serious complications. It also includes flu that mother has accidentally caught during pregnancy.
- Mother’s condition
Diabetes, high blood pressure, trauma, injury, thyroid disorder.
- Autoimmune disorder (Lupus)
Antibodies that are supposed to attack infections, might mistakenly attack any other tissue in the body. Doctors usually advise females with lupus not to get pregnant due to risks it may cause to mother as well as to child.
- Preterm Labour
Labour that begins earlier than 37th week of pregnancy.
- Fetal (Intrauterine) growth restriction
Sometimes babies are smaller than they should be for their gestational age. The prematurity is often the cause of stillbirth.
- Child’s health condition
Birth or chromosomal defects and genetic conditions can lead to fetal death. About 10% of stillborn babies have birth defects including down syndrome or insufficient development of an organ such as heart and brain.
- Mother’s age
As females get older, chances of stillbirth increase accordingly, reaching the highest point by the 41th week of pregnancy.
Reasons of stillbirth during labour and birth
- Not getting enough oxygen during labour and birth
- Shoulder dystocia
If baby is relatively large, it may happen that his or her shoulders are stuck behind mother’s pubic bone. Most of these children recover, but shoulder dystocia can still lead to the fetal death.
Risk factors
Several factors are confirmed to make female’s chances of stillbirth higher. It will not come as a surprise that risk factors include poor lifestyle choices. Females should know in advance that it is crucial to stay as healthy as possible while bearing a child.
Chances of fetal death may increase with:
- Obesity
- Smoking, alcohol and drug consumption during pregnancy
- Mother’s age (older than 35)
- Mother’s medical condition(diabetes, high blood pressure, lupus)
- Being pregnant with multiple children
- Previous pregnancy complications or losses (miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth …)
What follows after stillbirth in the womb?
Usually the labour will start itself after 2 weeks of fetal death. However, due to medical reasons (such as infection)health provider may recommend to give birth as soon as possible. Options include:
- Induced labour – doctor breaks amniotic sac or gives female a medicine. Labour will speed up with both of these methods.
- Cesarean birth – baby is delivered through a surgical procedure by doctor making a cut in the abdomen and uterus.
For the most of the females, fetal death is a single time experience. Doctors have to make sure that the health condition present during the previous pregnancy is not a threat any more. After females are ready mentally and physically, they manage to have a normal pregnancy and deliver healthy children. The keypoint is to never stop fighting and overcome all of the obstacles despite the painful experiences – just because it’s worth it.
Surrogacy in Georgia
Republic of Georgia is a well-known surrogacy destination and has the top reputation in the field of fertility in the Caucasian region. Surrogacy has been legal since 20 years already and the country has been visited by a huge number of patients. We have to objectively evaluate the reason behind such a popularity and decide ourselves, whether surrogacy in Georgia is really worth a go.
Legislation
Surrogacy in Georgia is regulated by law and is legal for more than 20 years already. Only married heterosexual couples are allowed to participate in surrogacy programs. Collection of documents is a fairly simple process. Due to the regulation by law, birth certificate is issued as in any other case – it only includes the names of parents. No presence of a surrogate mother is required and neither she, nor an egg donor (if used) are mentioned in the document. The absence of bureaucracy in the country, contributes a lot to the positive experiences of parents.
Public service hall (“PSH”) is a unique service offered in Georgia, which allows to collect all of the needed documents in one space: be it birth or marriage certificate, ID card, passport and so on. The service is incredibly fast and comfortable. Receiving documents with such an ease, is usually a guarantee that parents will not face the delayed stay.
Surrogacy Agencies and IVF Clinics
The main part of the surrogacy agencies and clinics are located in the capital city – Tbilisi. The fact that surrogacy in Georgia is legal for more than 20 years already, accounts a lot for their successful operation. Years of experience and development has resulted in more than 10 in vitro clinics and professional surrogacy agencies. Stuff, including doctors, are very caring and professional. Very well equipped clinics are ready to lead any procedure.
Both agencies and clinics have a vast egg donor databases. However, usually, most of the donors have brown hair and eyes. If parents are strictly looking for an egg donor with blue/green eyes and blonde hair, they might have to choose the travelling egg donor from their service provider’s international database. Usually this could be travelling donors from Ukraine or Poland.
About the Country
Due to its attractive location, on the border of Asia and Europe, Georgia has served a huge number of patients from different parts of the world. The capital is a very interesting combination of an old and a modern city. According to the statistics, Georgia is the world’s 5th safest place for living. Residents are known for their hospitality and most of them, apart from their mother tongue, speak fluent English and Russian.
You can see photos of Tbilisi here.
Now it is time to come to the conclusion listing pros and cons of surrogacy in Georgia.
Advantages
- Affordable prices (In comparison to USA and Canada, prices are significantly lower)
- Regulation by the law – no disputes as a result
- Document collection is simple
- Well equipped clinics
- Experienced surrogacy agencies and in vitro clinics
- Safety
Disadvantages
- Less blonde and green/blue eyed donors (Parents can still choose a travelling donor from the international database).
- Country is not the member of the EU
Strict legal EU protection does not apply to clinics. However, Georgia has just received the visa free travel with Schengen, which is also a great step forward to country’s recognition.
Verdict : Based on the experience we are happy to approve Georgia as an attractive destination for surrogacy. Prices are indeed affordable compared to the qualification and quality of the service offered – patients should definitely take the advantage of that.
Miscarriage
Miscarriage is defined as a loss of pregnancy during the first 20 weeks. Unfortunately it is a common experience. To overcome the emotional stress and fears associated with this term, it is a huge step forward to be familiar with causes , symptoms and be able to evaluate the situation objectively. Medical term for miscarriage is “spontaneous abortion”, but you will normally come across them only in medical articles.
How common is miscarriage?
Up to 20 % of recognized pregnancies end with miscarriage. The actual number is likely up to 40-50 % , because miscarriage also occurs when female is in a very early stage of pregnancy and is not yet aware of her condition. Miscarriage is less likely to occur after 20 weeks of pregnancy and 80 % of all losses occur within the first 3 months.
When should we call a doctor?
First of all, feel comfortable to reach your doctor anytime you feel the need to do so. Parents are able to find any kind of information on internet. While it is a very good practice for informing and educating ourselves, it will do no good after noticing any kind of discomfort or symptom. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms during pregnancy, we highly recommend to call/visit a doctor and ask for advice or medical tests and treatment if needed. Common symptoms include:
- Bleeding or spotting
Some females experience light vaginal bleeding or spotting during the early stage of pregnancy. Half of them result with normal pregnancy. Be concerned about bleeding that goes from light to heavy.
- Abdominal pain or cramping
- Fever
- Weakness
- Lower back pain
- Clotted fluid passing from vagina
What causes miscarriage?
Reasons behind miscarriage vary and sometimes can not be identified at all. Common causes include :
- Chromosomal abnormality
The most common reason behind the miscarriage during the first trimester (3 months) is chromosomal abnormality. This means that fetus is not developing normally and has extra or missing chromosomes. Most often, problems are the result of damaged egg or sperm cell,the errors that take place by the time when embryo divides and grows.
- Medical condition of a mother (thyroid disease, uncontrolled diabetes)
- Uterus problems
- Infections
- Hormone problems
- Implantation failure
The attachment process of the fertilized egg to the uterine lining did not happen properly.
- Wrong lifestyle (alcohol or drug consumption, smoking, eating poorly)
It is a common behaviour to convince our pregnant friends and relatives that they should not be as active as before. However there are several activities that are believed to be harmful by mistake and have nothing to do with miscarriage. Exercising, including jogging and swimming are not harmful for a baby. Working in a healthy atmosphere (no radiation and chemicals) is also totally acceptable.
What increases the chance of miscarriage?
Risk factors include:
- Age
The chances of miscarriage rise after the age of 35(20% chance). The number rises even significantly after the age of 40(up to 40%) and reaches as much as 80% by the age of 45.
- Previous miscarriages
Females who have already experienced miscarriages 2 or more times in a row, are more likely to be in risk again. Usually, miscarriage occurs one time only and a lot of females who miscarry, have healthy pregnancies on their next attempts.
- Lifestyle
While drinking a glass of wine on a very special occasion has not proved to be risky, alcohol intake on regular basis can lead to miscarriage. Smoking and the use of drugs should be eliminated. Caffeine intake should also be as low as possible.
- Environment
Pregnant females should not be exposed to radiation or harmful chemicals.
- Chronic diseases
- Weight
Overweight as well as underweight females might be at risk of miscarriage. Future mothers should try to keep their weight in healthy limits.
- Medications
Consult your doctor before taking any kind of medicine. Some of them are proved to be increasing the chances of miscarriage.
Based on blood and tissue tests, pelvic exam and ultrasound, doctor will check the course of pregnancy. If there is a threat, doctor may advise to have a good rest until the symptoms are gone.
If the medical procedures determined that the embryo died or was never formed, there are several options : female can wait for an expulsion of placenta and pregnancy tissue to happen naturally. If female wants to speed the process up, it is possible to turn to vaginal or oral medication. Another option is a small surgical procedure,during which the surgeon removes the tissue from the inside of the uterus.
Physical recovery may take from several hours to several days and it is possible to get pregnant on the first menstrual cycle after the miscarriage. However, taking into account past experience, it is better to consult with the doctor before trying to conceive. It is essential to be ready – both mentally and physically for the next pregnancy. Attitude can always contribute to the outcome and it is of the greatest importance to never give up on the way to fulfill our dream of parenthood!
LGBT Parenthood
While there are a lot of people doubting LGBT couples’ ability to provide good parenthood, studies reveal that they are completely wrong. What really matters for children is attention, friendly relationship with parents and the opportunities they provide. Children’s needs go far beyond the sexual orientation of parents. For that reason, LGBT parenthood has the potential to be as successful, as any other one.
Psychologists lead a number of researches on gay and lesbian parenting. Studies suggest that LGBT couples are very motivated, excited and committed parents. Reason behind such a thrilled attitude and involvement is that they never become parents by accident -sometimes unlike the situation with heterosexual parents. While many couples fight selflessly with infertility, it happens that pregnancy may be accidental and unforeseen process for some different-sex couples. Same-sex couples plan parenting in advance, consider all possible options and destinations to fulfill their dream.
When researchers compared academic success and mental health of children with LGBT and heterosexual parents, there was barely a difference in “advantage” of children with different-sex parents. However,the same research suggested that kids raised by same-sex parents tended to be more tolerant and open-minded.
Are the kids teased?
Children in schools tend to make fun of each other and bullying is sometimes a serious issue as well. No matter if kids are beautiful , overweight, wear glasses or have good grades – they may all be teased at some point. Kids with LGBT parents might experience the same issue with children making fun of their parents. Sooner or later, when teasing kids grow up, they become less judgemental and get a better understanding of the world around them. Basically, problem is not having the same-sex parents but rather the environment and the stage of life, when kids feel free to expose their mixed feelings about everything and cover it by mockery.
Sceptics consider that roles of mother and a father are completely different. Mothers are more friendly,playful and caring. Father’s role is mostly connected with discipline. However, after observing LGBT parents, studies suggest that parenthood increases stress among couples. Biological parent tends to be more care-giving and responsible in comparison to the second parent, who is more oriented on father-like aspects of parenthood. Gradually all of the inequities found between different-sex parents become reflected in same-sex couples as well.
Based on the facts, same-sex parents are indeed doing as well as heterosexual ones. The widespread belief that states the opposite is based upon a mere prejudice. In reality, LGBT parenthood is full with love and responsibilities.
Travelling Egg Donor
When parents need to choose an egg donor, they are first of all, concentrated on her satisfactory health condition. Usually professional agencies guarantee and are responsible for having mentally and physically healthy donors. Additionally, parents pay a lot of attention to appearance and ethnicity – it is natural to be concerned about physical genetic inheritance of your child.
It may happen that the desired egg donor is not in the database of the same country, where parents are participating in a program. That’s when they use a travelling egg donor. Based on experience and in sake of positive outcome, we have decided to share our knowledge with our readers – what should you take into account before choosing a travelling egg donor?
We have listed several hints for you :
- Donor should not arrive at the destination earlier than 5 or 6 days before the egg collection. Here is why : yes, donor seems good, stimulation has started and everything is in order. However, on the 7-8th day of stimulation it may appear that follicles have not grown sufficiently and the program has to be cancelled. In this case, intended parents have to pay donor a partial fee for the service and cover the costs of medications that were needed during this 7-8 days. If the simulation problem is spotted after donor’s arrival and she has to go back, parents have to pay for the whole package. Of course, nobody needs such a risk. When donor arrives 5 days before the collection procedure, it is already clear by then, that everything is in order and donor is ready for the egg pick up.
- Make sure that doctors from both countries (program country and donor country) are in touch with each other throughout the whole preparation process. First of all, they will need to exchange all of the important data about the donor. Secondly, in case something goes wrong, both sides will be equally responsible for the consequences and there will be no chaos while figuring out whose fault it was.
- Don’t feel uncomfortable and require the stamped passport paper of the donor. Parents should be sure that the donor who arrived is the one they have chosen. For analogical reason intended parents can require their egg donor’s hair . Anytime in the future it will be possible to compare it with the DNA of a child. Yes, we know that this sounds weird but the history of egg donation remembers a lot of cases, when donors were changed behind parents’ back (common reason was that the desired donors did not have enough eggs). Parents should insure themselves from such cases, so why not double check? Additionally, this kind of approach will reveal the professionalism of the egg donation agency. Be sure that honest and successful agency will never refuse to fulfill your desire to feel protected from fraud.
- Make sure that your travelling donor will have a companion, someone who will be able to provide assistance if needed. After the collection procedure as well as during the stimulation, egg donor should not travel alone. Check that your donor is in a well accommodated hotel with a good nutrition included – agencies charge you enough money for this arrangements.
Surrogacy – Possible Financial Risks
When thinking about surrogacy and choosing destinations for either heterosexual or LGBT parents, it is essential to mention financial factors. For example in the USA and Canada, prices are considerably higher than in Ukraine, Georgia or Mexico. However, it does not matter which destination intended parent(s) will choose – affordable or expensive. The amount to be paid is not small in any case and there are several financial risks to be aware of in advance.
What we are going to write about will not happen inevitably and patients will not necessarily face financial issues. It is just our great desire to prepare our readers for any kind of outcomes. For that reason, we have to discuss the worst case scenario and be sure, that future parents are well prepared psychologically and financially for any unforeseen complications. Imagine following cases:
Case no.1
In vitro fertilization attempt is successful on the very first time. Procedure leads to pregnancy and no additional finances for IVF are needed.
Case no.2
First IVF attempt did not appear to be successful and there is a chance that patients are going to need several more. Parents might have to pay for 4 or 5 procedures until the results are finally successful.
Case no.3
First IVF attempt did not succeed and patients need to try further. They have already purchased guaranteed surrogacy packages offered by the agency and they do not have to pay anything additionally. Clinic however, will continue doing IVF procedures until the results are successful.
Case no.2 has the potential to require a lot of finances and is a possible threat to the surrogacy process. If parents run out of financial resources and are not able to proceed any further, they will have to quit the program until they collect sufficient amount of funds. There is indeed no guarantee that IVF will be successful on the first try and some intended parents need much more than that. The best way to avoid unpleasant surprises is to be financially ready for about 5 IVF attempts. Parents should always have a solid financial backup for unforeseen situations.
When talking about best practices, case no.3 would be a perfect example. A lot of agencies are offering so called guaranteed surrogacy packages. This means that initially, parents pay somewhat higher fee for the package. In case of failures, further IVF attempts are already included in the package and until success, clinic performs further attempts absolutely free of charge.
Patients may not want to purchase the guaranteed surrogacy package for some personal reason and prefer to rely on extra funds that will be put off for unpredicted circumstances. However, readers should definitely take into consideration that the agencies, which offer guarantee packages are usually more organized and have a higher success rate in comparison to ones that do not.
Top 3 Egg Donor Agencies
Choosing the right agency is always of the greatest importance.Today we will reveal top 3 egg donor agencies in the world, but first of all, we have to define our “rules”. When we are talking about professional agencies, it’s pretty obvious that most of them have pretty big donor databases and are doing their job successfully. Choosing the best of best of course includes agency’s individual and careful approach towards each of the patients.
However, apart from reliability and availability, we decided to add more criterias while choosing the best ones:
- Agency provides not only anonymous, but known donors as well.
- Agency has travelling egg donors.
- Agency’s database includes donors from different ethnic groups.
Egg donors from the top agencies travel all around the world upon patients’ requests and needs. These agencies have years of experience in handling tasks even abroad and until today maintain a very good reputation among colleagues and intended parents. Moreover, they treat their egg donors with great care and attention, which is also a huge step forward to success.
New Life Egg Donor Agency
http://www.newlifeeggdonors.com/
We have granted the honourable top position to this agency, because since 2008 their egg donors have travelled literally all around the world. Their database includes :
- Ukrainian egg donors
- Polish egg donors
- South African egg donors
- Black African egg donors
- Chinese egg donors
- Thai egg donors
- Indian egg donors
- Caucasian egg donors
Global Egg Donor Agency
http://www.globaleggdonors.com/
Global Egg Donors may not have such a various choice in Asian donors, but their steadily good reputation and the years of experience with travelling donors indeed deserve our top ranking and appreciation.
Nurture
Nurture egg donor program is doing amazingly well, with great service and responsibility they are always at patient’s disposal. However, their databases only include donors from South Africa and United Kingdom.
Reasons of Using an Egg Donor
How should parents know if it is time to start thinking about finding an egg donor? What if it is too early or what if donation is not needed at all? We will try to figure it out.
First of all, we have to mention that egg donation has become really successful. Procedures that use fresh embryo (! not frozen) have the likelihood of 43% to result in pregnancy. A number of couples that want to expend their families have now the possibility to do so.
Situations vary. Females may experience fertility issues of several kinds. It is advisable to use an egg donor, when :
- Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level is high
In females, FSH helps to regulate menstrual cycle and produce eggs by ovaries. Doctors measure the amount of the hormone in a blood sample. High level of FSH may mean the loss of ovarian function, menopause, polycystic ovary syndrome, chromosomal abnormality or the inability of the body to produce good quality eggs for fertilization.
- Luteinizing hormone (LH) level is high
Similar to FSH, LH hormone regulates menstrual cycle and egg production. Doctors measure its amount in a blood or urine sample. Normally, levels of LH and FSH are rising and lowering simultaneously. High levels of luteinizing hormone may also mean ovarian failure.
- Anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) level is low
AMH is a substance produced by egg sacs, containing immature eggs. Blood test will reflect the remaining egg supply of a female. If the hormone level is low, the ovarian reserve is low accordingly.
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
PCOS is a condition when female hormones are out of balance. We have already discussed this issue and you can read more about polycystic ovary syndrome on our blog.
- Females are over 40
As we have already mentioned several times, age plays one of the major roles in infertility. Females in their 40s usually have high FSH and LH hormone levels, as well as low AMH level. With age, body’s reproductive system is becoming less functional. Females over 43 years tend to use egg donors for better outcomes. Ageing of Europe is also a demographic phenomenon and is characterised by a decrease in fertility. Many couples avoid creating/expanding families until they are 40. Consequently, their chances of reproduction without assistance are decreasing significantly. Same applies for the USA.
- Females have menopause
Menopause is a normal, biological process for females in their 40s or 50s. However, it stops menstrual period permanently and so does it end fertility.
- Mother may transmit a genetic disease
Many couples prefer to use an egg donor in order to prevent transmitting genetic disease to a child.
- Several IVF attempts have failed
As we already said, in vitro fertilization is a process of fertilizing egg with sperm outside the body, in a laboratory dish. After couples have experienced 4 unsuccessful IVF attempts and doctors think the egg quality is poor, then it’s better to consider finding a donor.
Egg donation is used widely by LGBT couples. Same sex male couples from all around the world as using the donation procedure to expend their families and become parents.
If couples experience above mentioned issues and doctors have already advised to think about donation, then they got a reasonable motive to do so. However, with the right agency and professionals, there is nothing to worry about 🙂
