The Process

The Joyful Family difference begins with your very first meeting: We will meet with you in whatever setting is most convenient and comfortable for you—a coffee house, restaurant or your own kitchen table—or our office location if you desire a more formal setting. The focus of this first meeting is to inform you about the process, projected costs, resources available to you, and to make sure Joyful Family is the right fit for you. No surprises, no unnecessary complications. We’ve been in your shoes, and we understand the importance of convenience, transparency and accurate information. We’ll also use this visit to learn about you, your life, your dreams for your family, and your expectations of donor, surrogate and us.  

Unless you have already selected an egg or sperm donor or surrogate, our next step will be to identify donors and surrogates who are compatible with your personality, expectations and needs. In one or more meetings, we will introduce you to surrogate candidates we believe to be a good match for your unique situation. In some cases, you may also meet with egg or sperm donors; however, under California law, the degree of contact is at the donor’s discretion. Next, one of Joyful Family’s recommended clinics, or a clinic or physician of your choice, will conduct medical screenings of donor and surrogate to ensure they are physically capable of serving in their roles. The surrogate also will undergo a background check, drug screening and psychological screening. In some cases, you also may undergo medical and/or psychological screening to make sure the match between intended parent(s), donor and surrogate is perfect. Once your donor and/or surrogate is medically cleared by your IVF physician, 50% of our remaining agency fee is due.

Properly executed agreements between intended parents and egg or sperm donor and between intended parents and surrogate are essential to ensure the rights and obligations of each party are clear and legally documented. Joyful Family will connect you with a highly qualified attorney experienced in fertility law, or you may work with an attorney of your choice. Also at this time you will establish an escrow account for funding of all expenses related to egg donor and surrogate compensation. Once your donor and/or surrogate is legally cleared by your attorney, the final 50% of our remaining agency fee is due.

Once proper legal agreements are in place, the surrogate and intended mother or egg donor are medically prepared for retrieval of eggs and in vitro fertilization. The egg donor or intended mother will be given medication to enhance egg production, her cycles closely monitored. The fertilization process typically takes about a month. Ten to 12 days following the embryo transfer, the surrogate is given a blood test for pregnancy. Once the surrogate is pregnant, an ultrasound scan will be conducted to detect the baby’s heartbeat, usually eight to 10 weeks into the pregnancy. With the positive ultrasound, the surrogate is later released to the care of her own OBGYN for the duration of the pregnancy. In the second trimester, you and your Joyful Family guide will begin planning for the surrogate’s hospitalization and the big day—delivery of your healthy baby or babies. And remember, we’ll be there with you, every step of the way.