For families who have been trying to have a child for many years, repeated unsuccessful attempts can be physically and emotionally difficult. Although IVF treatment in China is well established, some patients may face long waiting times or eligibility limitations. In these circumstances, some families begin exploring overseas IVF or surrogacy options.
To help readers better understand the process, Jiabao Libao takes a closer look at a common question: What are the steps involved in surrogacy in Georgia today?
1. Initial Consultation and Medical Assessment
The first step is to choose a reputable fertility center or surrogacy service provider and complete an initial online consultation.
The medical team will review the intended parents’ reproductive history and overall health to determine an appropriate embryo creation plan. Depending on the individual situation, this may involve the intended mother’s eggs or donor eggs, together with sperm from the intended father or a sperm donor.
Both intended parents generally need to complete basic health examinations, infectious disease screening, and relevant genetic testing before treatment begins. Some medical reports may need to have been issued within the previous three to six months.
2. Gestational Carrier Matching and Legal Agreements
After the medical assessment is completed, the process of matching a gestational carrier can begin.
Candidates generally undergo medical examinations, psychological assessments, and background screening and should have an appropriate reproductive and pregnancy history.
Once a match has been confirmed, the relevant parties enter into a formal surrogacy agreement. Depending on current Georgian legal requirements, the agreement may need to be notarized.
The contract normally addresses important issues such as the rights and responsibilities of each party, payment arrangements, medical decision-making, pregnancy-related obligations, and procedures for handling unexpected circumstances.
3. Medical Treatment: Embryo Creation and Transfer
After the necessary legal preparations have been completed, the medical stage begins.
Egg retrieval, sperm collection, in vitro fertilization, and embryo culture are carried out according to the treatment plan. If preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) is medically indicated, additional time may be required for embryo biopsy, testing, and results.
The gestational carrier then undergoes endometrial preparation before a suitable embryo is transferred into the uterus.
A blood pregnancy test is generally performed around 10 to 14 days after embryo transfer.
Depending on the treatment plan and whether embryos have already been created, the intended parents may only need to stay in Georgia for a limited period during certain stages of treatment.
4. Pregnancy Management and Delivery
Once pregnancy is confirmed, the gestational carrier begins routine prenatal care.
Throughout the pregnancy, the intended parents may receive regular medical reports and updates, including ultrasound results, laboratory tests, and information about the progress of the pregnancy.
The intended parents generally travel to Georgia before the expected delivery date so they can prepare for the baby’s birth and begin the necessary post-birth procedures.
After delivery, legal parentage and birth registration are handled according to the applicable Georgian laws and the specific circumstances of the intended parents.
5. Birth Registration and Returning Home
After the baby is born, the birth certificate and other required documents need to be obtained.
Depending on the intended parents’ nationality and the applicable procedures, the documents may require notarization, Apostille certification, translation, or other forms of authentication.
The intended parents will then need to contact their country’s embassy or consular authorities in Georgia regarding the baby’s passport, travel document, citizenship or nationality procedures, and entry requirements.
The time required for post-birth documentation can vary depending on the family’s circumstances and the authorities involved.
Overall, the surrogacy process in Georgia generally involves five main stages: preliminary assessment, gestational carrier matching and legal preparation, IVF and embryo transfer, pregnancy management and delivery, and post-birth documentation.
If you are interested in learning more about surrogacy in Georgia, you can contact us for further information. We can explain the general process in greater detail and help you better understand the medical, legal, and administrative arrangements involved.
