1. Surrogacy & Egg Donation - What You Should Know
Sam Everingham
Director
Families Through Surrogacy
Surrogacy & Egg Donation - What You Should Know

2. Overview Ingredients Needed for success Egg Donor availability
How have the options changed?
Where are Irish citizens engaging?
What are the emerging destinations?
Six Crucial Considerations
Key Problems & Customised Support

3. Ingredients Needed Goodwill
Professional expertise & experienced providers
Support
Trust
Good planning
Luck

4. Egg Donor Availability
Popularly used
Also available
UK, South Africa, USA, Spain, Cyprus, Ukraine
Canada, Georgia, Russia, Thailand Greece, Mexico, Czech republic, Iceland

5. Surrogacy Availability - Historic
For own citizens only
For citizens + foreigners (legal framework)
For foreigners (no laws)
Australia, Israel, South Africa, New Zealand, Netherlands, UK, Czech Republic, Greece
India, Thailand, Nepal, Cambodia
USA, Canada, Ukraine, Georgia, Russia, Mexico

6. Surrogacy Availability Now
For own citizens only
Regulated For citizens + foreigners
Unregulated ror citizens & foreigners (no laws)
Australia, Israel, South Africa, New Zealand, Netherlands, India, Thailand, UK, Czech Republic
USA, Canada, Ukraine, Greece, Georgia, Russia, Brazil
Kenya, Nigeria, Cyprus, Mexico, Albania, Columbia

7. USA
30 years experience Best practice Increased demand Often excellent surrogacy screening Surrogate match times can be mths Some lower cost hybrid options

8. Canada Huge influx last 4 years from foreigners
Altruistic & no advertising
poorer surrogate & donor screening
Now a shortage of suitable donors & surrogates
Long wait times to match (12 months)
Reports of high surrogate drop-out/ poor success rates
DEMAND NOW FAR EXCEEDS SUPPLY

9. Canadian Surrogacy Engage only with providers who
provide realistic timelines (7 -12 mths)
Don’t introduce you/charge you until surrogates are medically /psychologically screened

10. Ukraine Hugely Increased demand Number of providers quadrupled
No shortage of surrogates
Good screening & medical care
Prices are rising significantly
3-4 week exit process for Irish, 4 months for UK citizens
Strict eligibility criteria
Heterosexual married couples only

11. Lesser Known But Increasingly Popular
GREECE Altruistic Transfer of parentage before 1st embryo transfer Heterosexual couples & single woman Both parents on birth certificate Only a handful of good providers Anonymous egg donors IVF clinic plays the role of surrogacy agency

12. Lesser Known But Increasingly Popular
GEORGIA Heterosexual couples Both parents on birth certificate Known egg donors Well priced Improved IVF success rates Stable protective laws

13. Key decisions for getting started

14. 1. Do you need an egg donor?
Friend/family member from donor community (known) from donor database (known or anonymous)

15. Egg Provider Age A Key Factor in Success
30-40% with eggs from 30 yr old
20-25% with eggs from 35 yr old
8-15% with eggs from 40 yr old
3-5% with eggs from 42 yr old

16. 2. Create embryos at home or offshore?
Some will have embryos already created here
Yes you can ship embryos from Ireland using a cryoshipper company
You can do all sperm analysis at home prior to engaging

17. 3. What is your timeline?
Altruistic (ie Canada) tends to take far longer than commercial surrogacy

18. 4. What type of surrogate relationship?
Prefer to be Close buddies/supportive - US/ Canada Prefer more removed - non-English speaking nations What impact will your surrogate relationship have on your child as they grow up?

19. 5. Comparative Baseline Costs

20. Cost Containment Costs can typically increase over ‘baseline’ costs
failed transfers
Early miscarriages
Switching from own to donor eggs
Pregnancy complications
Surrogate needing additional time off work

21. 6. Should I use a ‘Guarantee’ Program?
Only available for donor egg surrogacy
Not available for Canada or US only surrogacy
Only recommended for US-hybrid programs or you want a (higher priced) capped program for peace of mind
Otherwise, the costs of adding extra embryo transfers if required are not significant

22. PROBLEMS

23. Hyperstimulation of Egg Donors
Reports partic in Ukraine
Donors given too high doses of stimulating meds
Causes sickness & other health risks
Talk to your Irish fertility specialist about appropriate stimulation levels

24. Twin Pregnancies A High Risk Scenario
Increasingly surrogates will not accept double embryo transfer, as its harder on their bodies
Twin pregnancies come with far higher medical risks
US & Canada don’t provide neonate insurance for twins

25. FTS Customised Support
Help you decide on a country/ provider
More hand-holding/concierge style service
Reliable, proven providers to meet your budget
Wide range of options
One hour or complete journey support
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