Important Surrogacy Terms

I’ve had a few friends and family members ask “what exactly is an IP?” and then I realized that talking about infertility and surrogacy can sometimes feel like another language! So let’s go over a few of the most used terms:

Intended parents (IP): This is an individual or couple who cannot carry a baby to term on their own and choose surrogacy to help build their families. Can also be called IM (intended mother) or IF (intended father). Mike and I are considered “IPs”.

Gestational surrogate (GC): this is the person who carries and delivers a child for intended parents. With gestational surrogacy, the child the person carries is not genetically their own, but is an embryo made from the IPs egg and sperm.

In Vitro Fertilizations (IVF): Before even considering gestational surrogacy, a couple needs to undergo IVF. This is where eggs are taken from the female and sperm collected from the male and put together to create embryos.

Donor: Some couples require egg donation or sperm donation to complete their journey. This is not the case for us, but for many couples, they require the extra help to build their families.

PGT tested: This is genetic testing. Several cells are taken from the embryo (usually from the area the placenta comes from) and are tested by a lab to see if they have the right number of chromosomes. They can be either: normal (no issue with chromosomes), mosaic (some cells have issues, some don’t), no results (not enough cells were taken so we are unsure), or abnormal (almost all cells have issues with chromosomes). Normal, mosaics, and no results are all safe to transfers. The decision to transfer mosaics and no results needs to be a discussion between GC and IPs.

Frozen Embryo Transfers (FETs): This is the procedure by which the embryo is placed in the GCs uterus. There are a couple options for FETs including medicated (i.e., GCs take medication to thicken their lining and stop ovulation before transfer) and natural (i.e., the GCs are followed as they ovulate naturally and the embryo is place in the uterus 5 days after ovulation). I will do a longer post on natural transfers, but for now know that natural transfers lower the risk of pre-eclampsia, and mean less meds for the GC which is why it’s our preference.

Matched: This is the phrase used when a GC and IP agree to move ahead with each other for a surrogacy adventure!

What other terms would you like to know more about??