First Time Surrogate---Lots of Questions!

Hello everyone, I've been reading all these posts and learning a lot about transfers, HPTs, and more. I feel so close to everyone who posts because it seems we are all in a similar state of emotional turmoil. I am attempting to carry for a lovely IM who is fast becoming my friend. So of course I am nervous that this all may not work! We transfered 3 day 4 embryos 7 days ago... So that would make me 6 days? (I'm not sure what all of the abreviations stand for) Our first Beta test is in 5 days. When can I do HPT and should I expect true results? I did HPT yesturday as an experiement and it was negative. (Too early I hope) Also, the Doc didn't rec bed rest or any of these other things I am hearing about. In fact he let me make a 3 hour drive right after the transfer. Is he crazy? I worry that we did not take any of the right precautions. Also, he told me not to stress but I can't help it! How do you stay calm while so nervous?

Thanks to all and i hope to get to know you all more.

[rkamhawi]

I am not an expert to help you with your question but i wanted to refer you to a wonderful surrogacy website if you don't already know it,
surromomsonline.com
The discussion threrads are very useful.
Giood louck and how you get a positive Beta.

[AnnieBrooke]

Don't worry about the hpt, it was early to get a result.  I was able to get a home test result of positive the day before the blood test, but in both cases I was pregnant with twins, so the hCG level would have been higher and that would explain why.  I am pretty sure that no clinic does a blood test later than they have to, and blood tests are more sensitive than home tests.  My clinic said that often women come in for their blood test convinced the pregnancy didn't take, because that morning they took a home test and it was negative, and lo and behold, they were pregnant.

I don't know why the doctor did not have you do a couple of days' bed rest, but it doesn't mean he is practicing  bad medicine.  Some probably don't think it is as important as others do.  Women get pregnant all the time despite not staying in bed for two days after sex, so I wouldn't dwell on it much.

If you are pregnant, they will probably give you a count that goes like this.  4 day embryos plus 7 days equals 11 days since conception.  Add 14 days, so your number can be calibrated to the medical way of discussing pregnancy, which is from the first day of your last period.  (When every book on pregnancy and every test and measurement are all based on a count that begins with the first day of an average woman's last period as "Day 1," IVF patients have to be on the same calibration as everyone else.)

Good luck, it's nice to hear from a surrogate because I was the receiver of donor eggs, and always wondered if she felt a little weird about the whole thing.

[surrosusanna]

Thanks so much for your input and the information. I always feel better the more I know about this whole process....I went into this thinking I knew something when in fact I was completely uneducated.


I am so happy to hear success stories like yours, you are so blessed to have your babies and I'm sure the egg donor feels happy for you as well. (As I will feel so happy if this all works out for my IM!)