Surrogacy or IVF - which is an ideal method to conceive?

December 27, 2022

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Beginning a family and journey of parenthood is a dream of everyone! The moment you hold your child in your arms, no other thing can replace this happiness ever. Though, not all couples and individuals are lucky enough to experience this moment. With the growing health and hormonal issues, in the past decade, many couples have been experiencing infertility issues. There are multiple options available to conceive a baby but often intended parents have confusion between surrogacy or IVF.

Though, it is perceived that due to unhealthy lifestyles women face the hurdles of infertility. That’s untrue, infertility issues in males are as common as in females. If you have been trying to conceive for a year or more and still you didn’t get the good news it’s time to consult a doctor and understand different conceiving options like surrogacy or IVF.

With the advancement in science and technology, intended parents with infertility can conceive a healthy child. So, even if you have faced multiple failed attempts at conceiving or miscarriage, you still can expand your little family. Treatments like surrogacy or IVF have been proven to be boons for couples who have been eagerly trying to conceive. Though, before you consider committing to any of the processes, you must be having hundreds of wavery doubts and thoughts about these treatments.

We understand your concerns, to simplify your decision let us walk you through the intricate differences between surrogacy or IVF and its process.

How does IVF work?
How does surrogacy work?
Is IVF the same as surrogacy?
Success rates with IVF What are the chances of successful surrogacy?
Debunking the myths of both options to select surrogacy or IVF
Surrogacy or IVF- which is the better option?

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How do IVF works?

IVF stands for In-vitro fertilization, the entire process of fertilization occurs inside the glass tube and that is why a baby born through IVF has also termed a test tube baby. Comparatively, IVF is more successful than other fertility treatments as the IVF process is a more advanced treatment and includes several medical steps. Now the time duration of the process depends on the body type of the intended mother, few couples will observe positive results on the first attempt whereas, others may have to attempt IVF again.

Talking about the medical process of IVF begins with conducting hormonal therapy with the intended mother’s body. Hormone therapy is used to stimulate eggs or improve their development of eggs. The IVF specialist would observe the intended mother for a few days until the eggs are ready, matured, or fertilized. Furthermore, her eggs are retrieved in an incubator and alongside the sperm sample of the intended father is collected. Then the specialist will mix both gamete materials using a catheter to create embryos.

By the time, embryos are being formed, doctors make the intended mother prepare with hormone replacement therapy to make her body ready to handle IVF pregnancy. After a deep observation, one or two embryos are transferred to the intended mother’s womb or fallopian tube – the process is termed an embryo transfer procedure.

If the procedure is performed perfectly, and when the fallopian tube gets attached to the embryos completely, pregnancy occurs. Though, since the entire IVF medical process is quite time-consuming and complicated it can be an emotionally challenging journey for both partners, especially if the couple needs to repeat the entire procedure.

How does surrogacy work?

Gestational surrogacy or commercial surrogacy uses third-party reproduction i.e a surrogate mother who gives consent to carry and deliver the baby for the intended parents. The surrogacy arrangement is supported by a surrogacy contract wherein the surrogate and intended parents need to agree on a few surrogacy-based factors and sign the agreement without which the medical process cannot be conducted.

Usually, the main purpose to opt for a surrogacy journey is the infertility issue faced by individuals, when no other fertility treatment turns into a successful conception that’s when surrogacy takes place to assist you to achieve your desired good news. Though, surrogacy isn’t restricted to married couples alone, if you unmarried couple, gay couple, or hopeful single you can consider surrogacy to complete your family. While there is still adoption available as a successful option why would individuals or gay couples opt for a tedious and complicated process of surrogacy?

Well, the reason is surrogacy allows intended parents to share a biological relationship with their infant which other options may not offer you. And the moment you see your baby arrive into the world, it is a moment worth sacrificing or bearing various hurdles.

Though talking about the surrogacy process, begins with conducting hormonal therapy with an intended mother or egg donor depending on your fertility condition. The hormonal medication is initiated to make your body ready to develop eggs. Once eggs are ready, its is retrieved and mixed with the sperm sample of the intended father or sperm donor. Just like the IVF process, IVF specialists would mix the gamete material and form embryos and after a few days of observation, embryos would be transferred into the surrogate’s womb.

Before the IVF medical process is initiated with the intended parents and or donors, the doctor will make the surrogate undergo a hormonal therapy replacement to match her menstrual cycle with the intended mother or donor to make the surrogate’s body ready for the entire process.

Furthermore, after a few days surrogate will undergo a test to determine her pregnancy results. In surrogacy, the number of embryos to be transferred must be discussed earlier and mentioned in an agreement.

Is IVF the same as surrogacy?

A lot of intended parents who explore different fertility treatments to conceive a baby have a constant doubt in mind – is IVF the same as surrogacy? No! Although both treatments share a few similarities but both methods are pretty different from each other.

Although, surrogacy uses the medical process of IVF both treatments differ from each other. One of the main differences is in IVF, embryos are transferred into the intended mother’s womb whereas in surrogacy by using IVF medical procedure the gamete materials of the intended parents and or donor is retrieved and embryos are transferred into the surrogate’s womb.

Additionally, the surrogacy journey is considered to be complicated and more time-consuming than IVF. As surrogacy offers suitable treatment for everyone irrespective of their marital status or sexual orientation, hence the process for every individual differs.

There are a few key points that intended parents must be aware of before beginning the journey of surrogacy. Consider these factors to get an answer to your doubt about whether is IVF the same as surrogacy.

Surrogacy laws

The laws of surrogacy differ from country to country. While few countries do not allow surrogacy for gay couples or single intended parents and few states wouldn’t let you opt for commercial surrogacy, only altruistic surrogacy would be legalized in that respective state.

To understand the laws of a particular country, you will need the assistance of an experienced attorney who will guide you with legal documents and other essentials. A surrogacy agency like Surrogency assures complete legal protection to the intended parents.

Surrogacy contract

Signing a surrogacy agreement is one of the most important steps in a surrogacy journey. This agreement lists down the essential factors of the journey, provides legal protection to both parties, and enables roles and responsibilities during and after the surrogacy journey.

It is advised that the intended parents and surrogates must have different legal representatives. And until the agreement isn’t signed by both parties with their consent, an agency cannot proceed with the medical process. Additionally, this contract can help intended parents as proof in case there are any legal hurdles in the process.

Comparatively, IVF does not have a such complicated process. It is safe and helpful for women who want to experience the process of pregnancy.

Success rates with IVF

The success rate with IVF or in-vitro fertilization is high and is dependent on the age of the women. Though, women under 35 years and one who uses her eggs are more likely to have successful conception and healthy pregnancy.

As we said, the rates of live births vary remarkably on the age of the intended parents and the fertility condition or issues of both partners. As a woman gets older, her capability to carry a child gets low, and also the quality of eggs may also decrease. Hence women above 35 have a high risk of experiencing miscarriage even with IVF.

For women under 35 years, the live rate percentage or success rates with IVF is around 60%
Whereas, for women with the age around 35-40 years the success rate decreases to 45%
And women above 42 years have a rare chance of successful conception with a 4% success rate.

Apparently, after 40 years the success rate with IVF decreases hence women above 40 opt for surrogacy and an egg donor to conceive a healthy child.

What are the chances of successful surrogacy?

Talking about surrogacy, as it uses the medical process of IVF, surrogates and donors are qualified and have good health, so you are bound to have better chances of successful surrogacy pregnancy. Though the surrogacy success rates will highly depend on the age of the egg donor it can be a donor or intended mother. If you choose to use a qualified egg donor then the surrogacy success rates will be around 65-70%.

Additionally, the chances of successful surrogacy process depend on the embryo transfer process as well. You will experience higher surrogacy success rates when you have a surrogate mother who is healthy, fertile, capable to carry a baby, has previous experience with surrogacy, and maintains a healthy lifestyle.

At Surrogency, we ensure that our intended parents have a hassle-free surrogacy experience, and all our treatments contain high surrogacy success rates. Additionally, we help you connect with fertility clinics, qualified donors, surrogates, and attorneys.

Debunking the myths of both options to select surrogacy or IVF

There are hundreds of misconceptions going viral on the internet which might make intended parents more confused about the process. Let us walk you through the correct facts of both methods so that you can have a clear idea of whether to opt for surrogacy or IVF.

IVF causes multiple pregnancies

In a few cases, intended parents prefer transferring more than one embryo to increase the chances of conception but it can result in twins or more babies. But if you aren’t okay with conceiving multiple babies then you can choose to transfer only one embryo.

An IVF specialist would choose the qualitative and healthy embryo that leads to successful implantation. So, not every IVF journey leads to multiple pregnancies, you can discuss with your doctor about this concern before beginning the process.

Fertility drugs used in IVF result in cancer

IVF process includes the usage of a few medicines and drugs to stimulate eggs and to retrieve eggs but it is completely safe. According to the statistics, around 48.5 million couples have undergone the journey of IVF treatment worldwide to conceive a healthy baby. To date, no studies or research have shown that drugs used in the IVF process cause cancer or that there is any risk of disease like cancer because of this advanced fertility treatment.

Surrogacy is only for rich people and celebrities

It is not completely true. Yes, there are a lot of celebrities across the world who have conceived through surrogacy. But that doesn’t mean surrogacy is catered to only rich and famous individuals.

Surrogacy is expensive compared to other fertility treatments as it involves various services, the expertise of specialists, compensation for surrogates, etc. But even the common man can conceive a baby through surrogacy, there are a lot of financial options available for the surrogacy process like grants. Anyone struggling to conceive can consider surrogacy as the suitable option to manage the budget of the journey.

It will be difficult for the intended parents to bond with their baby

Pregnancy does help in building a unique bond with your baby but that doesn’t mean if a surrogate carries your child you won’t ever bond well with your infant. Since the surrogate isn’t biologically connected with the child she won’t have an attachment issue after delivery.

And right after the delivery, the surrogate will hand over the baby to the intended parents for skin-to-skin contact. This will assist intended parents to practice all the exercises that are required to create a bond and understanding with the baby.

Surrogacy or IVF- which is the better option?

Surrogacy or IVF both the methods have a few pros and cons and high success rates. Depending on your fertility and medical condition, your doctor would recommend the best-suited treatment for you.

Though, if you have faced multiple failed attempts with IVF or other treatments you can embark on the journey of surrogacy with us. If you still have doubts regarding surrogacy, visit our website.