By Dr. Arnold Mahesan
Fertility SpecialistBeverly Hills Babies
Dr. Arnold Mahesan is a board-certified fertility specialist with extensive experience in IVF, fertility treatment, and gestational surrogacy. He is committed to helping intended parents navigate their journey with personalized care and expert guidance
Gestational surrogacy allows you to have a child when carrying the pregnancy yourself is not possible or medically appropriate. An embryo is created through in vitro fertilization, or IVF, using eggs and sperm from the intended parents or donors. That embryo is transferred into a gestational surrogate, who carries the pregnancy. Her own eggs are not used, so she does not contribute the egg’s genetic material to the child.
The definition is straightforward. The decisions surrounding it deserve more attention. Your embryos, your surrogate’s health, the relationship between you, and the preparation for birth all influence the experience. At Beverly Hills Babies, I approach these as parts of one connected journey.
1. Start with the family you want to build
Before choosing a surrogate, establish your starting point. Do you already have embryos? Will you use your own eggs or an egg donor? Are you hoping for one child or more than one? For two fathers, does each partner want the opportunity to have a genetically related child?
These questions shape the IVF plan and help preserve options for a future sibling. You should have a plan before committing to treatment.
2. Create or review your embryos
IVF involves collecting eggs, fertilizing them in a laboratory and allowing the resulting embryos to develop. Suitable embryos can be frozen for later transfer. If you already have frozen embryos, I review the records rather than assuming that the number in storage tells us everything we need to know.
The egg source, age at retrieval, embryo development, laboratory reports and any genetic testing all matter. Genetic testing can answer particular questions, but an embryo described as genetically tested is not guaranteed to result in a healthy child. The choice of testing needs its own discussion.
3. Establish medical suitability before matching
A potential surrogate’s previous pregnancies and deliveries provide important information, but having given birth before does not automatically make another pregnancy appropriate. We need to understand her current health and the details of her obstetric history.
Our approach places medical evaluation before presenting a candidate as a potential match. That allows the conversation about personality, communication and expectations to begin with a clearer understanding of medical suitability. Clearance must remain current as the journey progresses.
Matching should be a mutual decision. You and your surrogate should discuss contact during pregnancy, appointments, prenatal testing, delivery and how you would approach unexpected developments. Compatibility includes the difficult questions as well as the exciting ones.
4. Prepare for transfer and pregnancy
Independent reproductive attorneys guide the legal arrangements. Insurance is reviewed separately. Once the necessary clearances are complete, the surrogate begins her individual transfer plan. Monitoring helps determine when the uterus is ready to receive the embryo.
After transfer, pregnancy testing and early ultrasound establish whether a pregnancy has developed. Fertility care then transitions to the obstetric team at the appropriate stage. Pregnancy coordination, birth planning and legal preparation continue beyond that handoff.
Surrogacy is a way to build your family, but the woman carrying the pregnancy remains a patient with her own health needs. A thoughtful program keeps both responsibilities in view from the first consultation through recovery after birth.
To discuss your starting point, contact Beverly Hills Babies for a surrogacy consultation.
