At your Surrogacy Screening appt, you may have already been given an approximate timeline and protocol. Each protocol is individual but here is a sample of the most common:
- Call the clinic on your Day 1. Day 1 is the first day of full flow of your period.
- Day 21, Lupron shot, Lupron is an injection commonly given in the buttocks that helps to “shut down” your own cycle. It is much like the birth control Depo-Vera, and puts you in a menopausal like state. Common side effects are that of menopause, hot flashes, slight bloating, headaches, and mood swings. Because Lupron is a slow releasing drug, you will most likely still get your period or some breakthrough bleeding.
- Accordingly to your individual protocol you may be asked to get blood work done after a couple of weeks to ensure the Lupron has taken effect, this is called Suppression Check.
- Once the doctor determines you are ready, often times you will begin Estrace, a form of estrogen. This is to start your cycle back up in sync with your IM or an egg donor. It will build your endometrial lining in preparation for a baby. You can expect to have some bloating and water retention however many of the side effects you had with Lupron will disappear. Baby Aspirin is often added at this time as well.
- Sometime within the next few weeks you will go in again for what is known as lining check. They will measure the thickness of your lining. Most clinics like it to be .8 or higher.
- Once your lining is at the desired level, you may begin Progesterone as well as the medication you are currently taking. This medication comes in 2 forms, oil and suppositories. Often times girls are put on both.
- Progesterone in oil is done usually once per day again in the buttock. It’s an easy injection many girls do on their own, and you will be taught how to do it. Side effects are typical as those of pregnancy, with the exception of the nausea that one only gets when actually pregnant. Progesterone suppositories are typically done vaginally 3 times per day. Again side effects are much like pregnancy, as both forms of progesterone trick your body into thinking that you’re pregnant.
- You will continue on these medications until your blood work is done, 2 weeks after pregnancy, to determine if you are pregnant or not. If you are pregnant, you will continue the medications until your 12th week of pregnancy.