California is one of the most supportive states for lesbians and gay men to become parents via surrogacy

California is a fantastic place to experience surrogacy. Women can become a parent by going to a sperm bank and undergoing artificial insemination. Men use a surrogate, either through artificial insemination or through two women, one to donate an egg, and the other to serve as surrogate.

Traditionally, a man would either remain a co-parent with the surrogate, or attempt to terminate the surrogate's maternity through a cumbersome and unpredictable abandonment proceeding. Now when the surrogate does not claim she is the mother, the court will follow the intentions of the parties, by declaring that the man is the sole parent and the surrogate is not the mother.

Prospective fathers have a stronger legal position by using a gestational surrogate. (ie. a surrogate who carries an embryo created from donor egg.) In this scenario, the man would be able to argue that he is the recipient of a donated egg. In absence of an egg donation from a separate woman, if the surrogate changes her mind and claims she is the mother of the child, he would have a harder time arguing that a "tie" exists between anyone.

Similar to the heterosexual married couple, same-sex couples in California will be listed on the original birth certificate of a child born to a surrogate if a judgment is obtained declaring both of them to be the sole parents.

Source: http://www.proudparenting.com/node/316

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Free Egg Donation Cycle for One Lucky Attendee

Erickson Law and Conceptual Options a Center for Surrogacy and Egg Donation, announce a Free Egg Donation Cycle to be awarded to one lucky seminar attendee. "We have pulled together the finest Southern California surrogacy and egg donation professionals who were willing to offer their services to one lucky seminar attendee. The goal of these two seminars is to pass along information and guidance to prospective parents. A little incentive to help break the ice never hurts," states Surrogacy Lawyer Theresa M. Erickson.

Erickson Law is hosting a European Surrogacy & Egg Donation Conference to be held in Genève, Switzerland July 29-31, 2009. The U.S. based conference will be held on August 20, 2009. Please contact Michel Tournay at 001-858-748-4222 or for conference attendance information, visit www.Surrogacy-EggDonation.com/geneve.convention.html.

For additional information on the Free Egg Donation Cycle please visit our site at www.Surrogacy-EggDonation.com/Free-Egg-Donation-Cycle.html or contact one of our Surrogacy & Egg Donation Case Managers at 858-748-4222.

Read more: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/07/prweb2622104.htm

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New York Times Magazine Examines Infertility, Surrogacy

The New York Times Magazine on Sunday examined the experiences of the author, a New York Times writer, who had multiple miscarriages and ultimately had a child through gestational surrogacy.

About 7.3 million people in the U.S. are affected by infertility, according to the advocacy group Resolve. About one-third of infertility cases are attributed to the female partner, and one-third to the male partner, while the other one-third are caused by a combination of factors or cannot be explained, Times Magazine reports.

According to the Times Magazine, in vitro fertilization became a standard fertility treatment about 15 years ago. Prior to that, traditional surrogacy, in which a fetus is fertilized with the pregnant woman's egg and donor sperm or sperm from the intended father, was the only available treatment for couples unable to become pregnant who wanted to be biologically related to the child. In gestational surrogacy, the surrogate is not genetically related to the fetus and a donor egg or the intended mother's egg is used along with sperm from a donor or the intended father.

Although national statistics on surrogacy are not available, surrogacy agencies have said that gestational surrogacies have become more common in recent years. According to Shirley Zager, director of the Organization of Parents Through Surrogacy, there have been about 28,000 traditional and gestational surrogate births since 1976. Sherrie Smith of the Center for Surrogate Parenting said that about 226 of the 1,355 infants born through the group's program since 1980 were created through traditional surrogacy, while the rest were created through gestational surrogacy. According to Times Magazine, surrogacy, which costs between $30,000 and $60,000, is largely unregulated and laws differ among states (Kuczynski, New York Times Magazine, 11/30).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/131464.php

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For Egg Donors, Surrogates, and Intended Parents: New Assisted Fertility Blog

Northeast Assisted Fertility Group, Inc. -- an alliance of leading independent third party reproduction professionals -- has launched a new blog. It is intended to address the complexities of third party reproduction (egg donation and surrogacy). Using a combination of opinions and hard data, the NAFG blog will be a valuable resource to anyone following trends in fertility treatment.

New York, NY (PRWEB) October 20, 2008 -- The Northeast Assisted Fertility Group (NAFG) is pleased to announce the launch of its new blog, which will provide up-to-date information on the complexities of third party reproduction (egg donation and surrogacy): http://www.assistedfertilityblog.com/

The goal of this blog is to separate myth from reality in these controversial branches of fertility treatment by providing sound information and data, reasoned opinion, practical advice, and inside knowledge based on real life experience.

The blog's target audience includes egg donor recipients and egg donors, surrogates/carriers, intended parents, fertility industry professionals and advocates, media, and the public at large. The content will be timely and updated frequently, easy to search, and written in a clear, accessible style. Themes covered include issues such as the economy and the United States Presidential election, as well as practical guidance for those considering using an egg donation program or donating eggs for the first time. Other entries will consider the ethical, legal, psychological, political, financial, and practical aspects of being an egg donor, surrogate mother or intended parent. As infertility literature has become a genre in its own right, the blog will review and recommend books that enrich our understanding.

The blog's main contributor is Katherine Benardo, gestational carrier/egg donor program manager of NAFG. According to Benardo, "There is a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding surrounding these topics, both within the general public as well as those experiencing infertility. The blog will respond to the sensationalism with accurate information, and offer support to those going through fertility treatment." The blog will also feature special guest contributions from assisted fertility attorneys and other industry professionals, as well those who have created their families through surrogacy and egg donation.

Users will be able to subscribe to the Assisted Fertility Blog via email or RSS, including personalized sites such as My Yahoo!, MyAOL or iGoogle. The site is optimized for seamless integration with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Digg, and other popular social media websites.

Anyone interested in following trends related to fertility treatment are encouraged to take advantage of this invaluable resource by visiting the blog and joining the discussion. Everyone involved in these fields has their own unique experience and point of view.

Source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/10/prweb1484174.htm

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Reproductive Assistance Gives Back To Infertility Suffers

Photo by jaylopez
Reproductive Assistance, the Midwest's premier full service egg donor, surrogate, and gestational carrier agency, awards needy family a free egg donor cycle.

The Get a Free Egg Donor contest that begun on January 1 ended March 31, 2008. Hundreds of families from all over the world entered and submitted online applications. The winning family was selected and won a free egg donor cycle, a $4,500 value.

Frances and Wesley, last name is not shared to remain anonymous, are from the Midwest. They are the first recipients of RAI's Get a Free Egg Donor cycle. Like most couples, they have had their share of heartache.

For the past seven years, Frances and Wesley have been trying to have a baby. They have seen four different fertility doctors in two different states. They have completed three artificial insemination cycles, four IVF cycles, three egg donors cycles, and suffered one miscarriage. Frances is quoted as saying, "It has been emotionally and financially draining. I was pregnant once and had a miscarriage after six weeks. It was the best six weeks of my life. But, I wonder if it was a curse. Our dream of having a child has been put to the test and receiving a free egg donor at this point of our journey would be a God send!"

Lisa Henkel, President and Owner of RAI, said, "Our company has helped thousands of families across the world create their families thru egg donors, surrogates, and gestational carriers. From the very beginning, the company took off and has grown every year. It is now time to give back to those families that are experiencing the challenges of infertility."

All of our donors, surrogates, and gestational carriers go through a rigorous application and screening process. Our agency is registered and follows ASRM guidelines.

Source: http://www.emaxhealth.com/4/21767.html

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The Danger of a Technological Addiction

Photo by fcarrero99

ON A SUMMER DAY IN A MINNEAPOLIS SUBURB, Karmin and Steve Eisma watch fondly as their nephew pushes a toy duck down the driveway and their niece peddles a miniature bike with training wheels. The children belong to Karmin's brother, and the childless couple dotes on them. The Eismas are professionals in their early thirties. They long for children of their own. "It just seems like it's so ingrained in me to want a family," Karmin says wistfully.

Karmin describes her yearnings for a baby. LISTEN

Steve nods thoughtfully. "Having a family I think is, or will be, a way to help shape a life," he says. "I'd want the child to be just a very strong person, a good person that has integrity and is a shining light in the world."

The Eismas are infertile because Karmin lost her uterus to cancer in 1991, a few years before they met. They recently tried to adopt a baby, but the birth mother changed her mind a few weeks before the baby was born.

With a remarkable offer from their sister-in-law, Becky, the Eismas are trying high-tech medical treatments that offer a chance to create a child genetically-related to a woman with no uterus. In summer 1997, doctors took eggs from Karmin's ovaries, fertilized them with Steve's sperm, and transferred them into Becky's uterus. Becky offered to be the baby's "gestational carrier," essentially loaning her body -- her womb -- to Karmin. Just before the transfer, the doctor showed Karmin and Steve their laboratory-made embryos under a microscope. "We saw them," Karmin says with awe. "I actually did it after all this. I made ... " She trails off and then says softly, "Those were my babies."

Three of the embryos were transferred to Becky's uterus, but did not survive. The odds were always gathered against them. Only one in three IVF procedures results in pregnancy. Karmin's case was especially difficult because internal scarring from her cancer surgery meant she needed a general anesthetic to have her eggs extracted. When she came to, dizzy and in pain, she said, "I'm never doing this again." She later changed her mind. Having already spent more than $20,000 on legal and clinical services, the Eismas are saving up for another IVF as soon as they can get the money together.

"I remember watching shows where people said they spent a hundred thousand dollars trying to do the IVF and I just said, 'Why would they keep trying?'" Karmin says. "And I know, now. It's very hard to let it go when you actually saw them. And it's a good chance." She pauses a moment and says, "An okay chance."

Donna Shen, president of the Infertility Network in Houston, says infertile people who use assisted reproduction are simply doing what they have to do to have babies. LISTEN

Psychologists say the cycle of hope and despair infertility patients go through can be addictive. It's like playing the slot machines: an occasional small win keeps people dropping quarters in, hoping for a jackpot, even though the odds are with the house and they know it.

Shen says once people start treatment, they may end up spending more than they expected. LISTEN

Dr. Cecelia Valdes, an infertility specialist in Houston, saw a 44-year-old patient recently who asked about the chances of getting pregnant with her own eggs. A female is born with her entire lifetime supply of eggs. Researchers say a woman's fecundity drops precipitously after age 40, largely because of declining egg "quality." Valdes told the patient her chances of success were five percent, at best. The patient answered, "So there's hope."

Valdes will tell her patients the odds, but not when they should give up on treatment. That's the patient's decision, she says. A few decades ago, it was easier for a doctor to tell an infertile couple when to stop. If surgery failed, that was the end of it.

Today, a patient's hopes are rekindled by the steady stream of new developments in reproductive medicine. "What was an experiment last year is a treatment that we're offering a lot of people this year," Valdes says. Just when it seems to a couple that all the medical possibilities have been exhausted, researchers come up with a new solution. That means another expensive chance for people who dream of bearing children.

Source: http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/fertility_race/part2/narr_danger.shtml

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'Conception Connections' Newest Entry to Fertility Blog Scene

Alternative Reproductive Resources, a Chicago-based egg donation and gestational surrogacy agency, has launched a new blog called "Conception Connections" to generate conversations around solutions to family building. The blog will feature posts by Robin von Halle, president; Mary Ellen McLaughlin, partner; egg donors, gestational surrogates and intended parents.

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) January 30, 2008 -- In an effort to foster more dialog around alternative solutions to family building -- especially the myths, realities and ethics behind them -- a Chicago firm has launched a new blog called "Conception Connections" (www.conceptionconnections.wordpress.com ).

Alternative Reproduction Resources, an agency specializing in bringing intended parents together with egg donors and gestational surrogates, believes the blog is an ideal way for members of this community to share their triumphs and struggles.

"Infertility affects more than 6 million women and their partners in the United States alone," says Robin von Halle, president of ARR, which she founded in 1992. "In vitro solutions are on the rise as science continues to advance. But we, as a community, need to work harder to share our knowledge and experiences for the benefit of others."

In addition to contributions by donors, surrogates and parents, Conception Connections features posts by von Halle, and ARR Partner Mary Ellen McLaughlin. Nidhi Desai, ARR's legal counsel and partner at the Chicago law firm of Ballard, Desai, Bush-Joseph & Horwich, will also contribute.

Early contributions include von Halle's posts on Alexis Stewart's efforts to conceive, and on "vanity" pregnancies through surrogates. Other posts include an African American egg donor's reflections on the need to grow awareness in her cultural community of in vitro solutions and the need for ethnic donors, and another donor's hope that her eggs ended up gifting a couple with a child.

"Infertility affects many people, so we are excited to shed some light on this subject and give people a chance to interact," says von Halle.

Established in 1994, ARR (www.arr1.com ) was one of the first agencies in the United States dedicated to locating and matching egg donors and, more recently, gestational surrogates with intended parents from around the world. For further information, contact von Halle at 773.327.7315.

Source: http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2008/1/prweb660844.htm
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