What happens when a surrogate doesn’t get pregnant?

This is a question that I am asked many times by intended parents, and occasionally by a surrogate. Most surrogates, being fertile, believe that they will get pregnant on the first attempt. However, this is not always the case.

The IVF center, the laboratory, and the physician all play a roll in the outcome of an embryo transfer. There are many factors that contribute to the success of an embryo transfer to a gestational surrogate:

• The quality of the embryos being transferred – quality is greatly impacted by the age of the woman who’s eggs are being used
• The number of embryos being transferred
• Are the embryos fresh or have they been frozen for a long period of time

Having said this, it’s no wonder that not all surrogates get pregnant on the first attempt. So, what happens if the surrogate doesn’t get pregnant? The answer to this question depends on what the intended parents choose. Many intended parents will go on to do another IVF cycle to create new embryos for transfer, while others may have embryos remaining frozen in storage from their last IVF attempt. The majority of surrogates want to do what ever it takes to get pregnant – including numerous embryo transfer cycles.

If a surrogate does not get pregnant after several attempts, the IVF physician may suggest that an egg donor be utilized. Using an egg donor along with a surrogate has a very high rate of success.

In my personal experience as a surrogate, I did not get pregnant with the first embryo transfer. The intended parents had frozen embryos and decided to try a second transfer. I became pregnant and delivered healthy twin boys two years ago. I am grateful that the intended parents I worked with decided to try a second transfer because our lives would not be what they are today.