Frequently Asked Questions

A gestational carrier (GC) refers to a woman who becomes pregnant through IVF with embryos created using the intended mother’s egg and the intended father’s sperm. The GC carries the pregnancy to term and gives birth to a baby that belongs to the intended parents or a single parent.

The GC is different from a traditional surrogate, who conceives by the sperm of the intended father, generally through intrauterine insemination (IUI) or IVF that can both fertilize her egg. The baby born by a traditional surrogate has the surrogate mother’s genes and not the genes of the intended mother. With a gestational carrier, the intended parents are both genetically related to their child born by the GC.

Due to this genetic relation, most couples seeking a third-party surrogate select a gestational carrier over a traditional surrogate. If the intended mother’s eggs or the father’s sperm cannot be used (for health or genetic reasons), the intended parents can use a donor egg or sperm donor to create an embryo via IVF. In this case, the gestational carrier is not genetically related to the child. The intended parent(s) are the child’s legal parent(s) after birth.

We recommend gestational surrogacy for women who may have a medical condition that makes carrying a pregnancy very challenging or impossible. Such medical conditions include the absence of a uterus, uterine abnormalities or a medical condition that could put both mother and baby at risk in a pregnancy.

If donor eggs must be used and the intended mother cannot carry a pregnancy, then a couple may decide to use a gestational carrier so that the child is genetically related to the intended father. LGBTQ+ couples or individuals may also elect to use a gestational surrogate to have a child that is genetically related to one of the partners.

Using a gestational carrier involves complex medical, emotional and legal considerations. Bamboo Surrogacy discusses these issues with intended parents considering gestational surrogacy. We advise such clients to seek psychological counseling and legal guidance from professionals versed in surrogacy issues.

• 20 – 40 years old.
• BMI (body mass index) less than 31.
• Previous pregnancies delivered at full term.
• Nonsmoker and drug free.
• Ability to pass a psychological evaluation and medical screening.

No. Because the genetic cells that make up the embryo (the egg and sperm) are from the intended parents (or from a donor that is not the gestational carrier), the resulting baby will not be related to the surrogate.

Even when using a gestational carrier, the intended parents’ names will be the only parental names on the birth certificate; the gestational carrier’s name will not appear on the certificate.

In the state of California, intended parents file a pre-birth order (PBO) instructing the hospital to put their names on the original birth certificate – meaning the child’s birth certificate will be the exact same as it would be if the child was delivered by the biological mother/parent. Bamboo Surrogacy guides our gestational carriers and intended parents through the procedure regardless of where the birth will take place.

During the screening process, a gestational carrier (surrogate) will receive a customized package outlining all benefits she can expect as a gestational carrier, including payment. All compensation payments will be disbursed through a third-party escrow fund manager, who specializes in surrogacy. Payments are scheduled at key surrogacy process milestones, such as the start of medication, embryo transfer, etc.

Yes. Having your “tubes tied” only affects the fallopian tubes and does not interfere with the uterus, where the pregnancy is carried. The fertilized embryo from the intended parents is implanted directly into the gestational carrier’s uterus. Because the gestational carrier’s eggs will not be used for the embryo, the fallopian tubes are not involved in a gestational carrier pregnancy.

Although IUDs, or intrauterine devices, are a method of birth control, Bamboo Surrogacy does not require IUDs to be removed prior to starting the IVF protocol. If the gestational carrier has an IUD in place, our physicians are able to transfer the embryo to the GC’s uterus for pregnancy without removing the IUD.

Vaccination for COVID-19 (initial shot or booster shot) is not mandatory for gestational carriers at Bamboo Surrogacy. However, we do require gestational carriers to be up-to-date on vaccination for rubella, varicella and hepatitis B before embryo transfer.

Yes. The medications a gestational carrier takes as she prepares for IVF can be passed to her own baby via breast milk.

Yes. A previous C-section does not disqualify a woman from being a gestational carrier.

No. Many mothers and their biological children have different blood types, and the gestational carrier’s blood type does not have to match the mother’s or father’s blood type to successfully carry the embryo and pregnancy.

However, doctors do evaluate the gestational carrier’s blood for the Rhesus (Rh) factor, which is the positive or negative sign next to the blood type (example: O-positive or O+). Positive Rh factor is preferred and also most common. Having a negative Rh factor blood type does not rule out a gestational carrier candidate, but it does require further evaluation.

Definitely. The gestational carrier and the intended parent(s) work as a team to deliver a healthy baby, so it’s important that everyone involved feels they can work well together.

The prospective gestational carrier and the intended parent(s) will have an initial meeting (usually via an online video call) so both parties can ask questions, get to know each other, and see if there’s a positive mutual connection. If it’s a good fit for both parties, we will advise on the next steps.

Absolutely. Intended parents are responsible for covering all the gestational carrier’s travel expenses, including gas, parking, flight tickets and hotels. All covered travel expenses will be listed in your benefit package.

The first step is reviewing your medical records, including previous pregnancy and delivery records. If everything looks ok, you will make an appointment with the doctor for further screening, which usually includes bloodwork and ultrasound. Approximately two weeks later, you will be notified if you are approved, conditionally approved or declined.

The embryo transfer procedure involves using a catheter that contains the intended parents’ thawed embryo(s) to place the embryo into the gestational carrier’s uterine cavity through the cervix (opening to the womb). The embryo transfer may have minimal to no discomfort, and on occasion scant vaginal bleeding, but does not require anesthesia. Usually our doctors will recommend you rest in bed for one day after embryo transfer but no longer.

Bamboo Surrogacy follows all FDA guidelines, and the FDA takes infectious disease control very seriously. It requires both the egg and sperm source to undergo infectious disease screening using the approved FDA criteria. Disease screening includes hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, West Nile virus and cytomegalovirus (CMV).

In addition, we evaluate both the egg and sperm through a high-risk questionnaire and our lab’s physical evaluation of the specimens. Tissue donors or intended parents who fail to pass the screening will be ineligible to use the tissue for creating a gestational carrier pregnancy.

Approximately 10 days after the embryo transfer, Bamboo Surrogacy will have you do bloodwork to test for human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG); if it’s positive, it means you are pregnant. After another two to three weeks, the doctor will perform the first ultrasound in order to detect the fetus’ heartbeat. If a heartbeat is detected, it means it is a viable pregnancy and likely to lead to a live birth.

Depends upon your gestational carrier agreement. This is one of the many things decided upon with the intended parents beforehand; the agreement should include discussion of contact right after birth and as the child grows up. Some intended parents prefer to keep in touch with the gestational carrier throughout the child’s life, while others may choose not to, especially if they live outside of the United States.

No – unless it’s requested by the intended parents and also agreed to by the gestational carrier, in which case both parties can work together to create a breastfeeding plan.

Typically no. Per today’s standards, most IVF doctors will transfer no more than one embryo during IVF (including for gestational carriers) due to the increased risk to the pregnant woman and the babies of carrying more than one baby during a pregnancy. While there are some unique situations in which a gestational carrier and the intended parent(s) may mutually agree to transfer multiple embryos (or rarely a single embryo develops into twins), the gestational carrier has the right to decline carrying twins. If she does carry twins, the intended parents would pay extra compensation.

Just like a typical pregnancy, you will need to take prenatal vitamins, visit your obstetrician (OB) physician, do routine bloodwork and ultrasounds, and, if needed, have a noninvasive prenatal testing for genetic abnormalities done at around 11 weeks. Additionally, you will need to continue the estradiol and progesterone medications prescribed by the IVF doctor.

Yes. The intended parents are required to purchase health insurance for the gestational carrier to cover all OB physician visits, hospital visits, medications and all related medical expenses. Life insurance coverage is also required.

Additionally, you will have an attorney assigned to you, paid for by the intended parents, to work with you on behalf of your interests.

Yes. Most gestational carriers still go to work as normal, unless the doctor requires rest at home due to a potential risk or complication during pregnancy. If that is the case, the intended parents typically pay extra compensation to cover the loss of wages.