Global IVF heads for NYC
Great news! We have been invited to speak at the SparksNetwork/Single Edition event in NYC on October 12. Besides being easily swayed to travel to NYC to catch the fall foliage, both Lauri and I are very passionate about the topic – how women (in this case single women) can preserve their fertility when their biological clocks are loudly ticking.
So many media outlets skim over very obvious fertility obstacles that most women confront when showing fabulous 40+ year old celebrities easily getting pregnant and then balancing child and career. The truth is, it doesn’t happen like that for most of us. Hate to say it, but these days, it may not be the right choice to simply wait until you have enough money, time off or meet the right man to start thinking of having kids.
We want women young and old to know their options – from egg freezing and egg donation, to new ways to screen both embryos and sperm for abnormalities and most importantly, how to keep costs down while keeping fertility options up. Over the years, we’ve talked with so many people… and the story is often the same – the media or their own doctors have convinced them that time is on their side – but sometimes waiting only jeopardizes the opportunity to use your own biological material or carry your own child. Our Global IVF goal and mantra is to arm people with the necessary information about their fertility and fertility options before it’s too late.
So don’t put off what you should do today! – come here us speak in person or give us a call to help you figure out your fertility plans for the future. We can be reached at kathryn@globalivf.com or lauri@globalivf.com
GLOBAL IVF has two significant poster presentations accepted at ESHRE 2010
Co-Founders of GLOBAL IVF, Inc. – Kathryn Kaycoff-Manos and Lauri de Brito – recently had the honor of having two abstracts regarding Cross-Border Reproductive Care accepted as poster presentations at the prestigious ESHRE convention held in Rome, June 2010. As we all know, Global IVF travel is a booming business – both for the fertility business and the fertility patient. For the fertility patient, this means an ever-increasing number of options, lower costs, more possibilities, hope… and what it means for the fertility business, is of course, just that, business. A win-win for all — and GlobalIVF.com is here to help make the dreams come true. GlobalIVF.com helps international options become available and known to fertility patients all over the world. GlobalIVF.com can help you market your fertility business or associated business. We know what patients are looking for and we know how to help you give them exactly what that is. Contact us at info@globalivf.com and let us bring you to the forefront of this growing industry!
Decision-making factors that influence U.S. patients in selecting overseas egg donor programs and how clinics can appeal to those potential patients
Co-authors
L. de Brito1, K. Kathryn Kaycoff MA2.
1Global IVF inc., Co-Director, La Canada CA, U.S.A..
2Global IVF inc., Co-Director, Encino CA, U.S.A..
Introduction: Due to the rising costs in the United States for egg donors in conjunction with IVF cycles, many fertility patients are interested in pursuing care in other countries. There are increasing options throughout the world and cross-border reproductive care is becoming more common. However, there are still many real and perceived concerns that American patients weigh when investigating or pursuing cross border egg donation cycles.Conclusions: The overwhelming driving force behind American patients traveling to international clinics for egg donation was cost and this was a significant factor in patients whether or not they did travel or achieve pregnancy. Factor rankings changed for those who pursued egg donation abroad as opposed to those who did not actually choose to travel internationally for these services. Clinics wanting to bring more patients to their clinics need to understand that even though the ranking of the factors changes once there is a pregnancy, that it is the perceived issues that are the most significant in their potential clients decision-making process.
Surrogacy: why the U.S. is still so appealing and what other countries can do to attract more cross-border patients
Co-authors
K. Kaycoff-Manos1, L. Berger de Brito1.
1Global IVF, Co-Director, Encino CA, U.S.A..
Introduction: With increased interest in cross-border reproductive care, gestational surrogacy has become a viable option for many international patients. Because of supportive and liberal laws, the United States has been the primary location for pursuing such arrangements. However, in recent years, costs for many patients, including those in the U.S., have become prohibitive, so many patients are looking elsewhere. Nevertheless, even with the availability of surrogacy in India, Ukraine and Russia, there are still real and perceived drawbacks that keep potential cross-border patients from pursuing these options. Conclusions: While international options are still limited to few countries, available choices are becoming more appealing to patients. Areas of improvement are necessary in legal, medical, psychological, client services, awareness of services and travel coordination to increase the number of cross-border surrogacy patients if other countries beyond the U.S. are to attract cross-border patients.
Update from ESHRE
We spent 3 great days at the ESHRE convention and 3 great nights in Roma! So much going on – we went to the pre-convention seminar all day Sunday on Cross Border Reproduction. No surprise here.. everyone is realizing the potential of this market and they want to get in. In a nutshell, the more competition, the better it usually is for the buyer (in this case, the patient). But while it opens opportunities, it means that the patient needs to be even better educated.. there is too much at stake.
With so many new clinics trying to get in on the cross border frenzy, things may get overlooked. And it will take a few international patients to work the ‘kinks’ out. That’s where Global IVF comes in. We are discerning and we plan to talk with all of the clinics, doctors, medical tourism companies, consultants, etc so that we can pass along our notes to you… so that you, the patient, can hopefully be spared the guinea pig syndrome.
We were pleasantly surprised to learn that totally anonymous egg donation is no longer the only option when pursuing egg donation overseas. There are several countries now where an Intended Parent can get just about all of the same information as they can get in the United States – full profiles, filled with pictures of the donor, her family, her as a baby, etc. Plus all medical health information including personality information, mental health information, educational background, etc. This is a big change from what has previously been available. Of course, the donors cannot be contacted later on in life - the Intended Parent is never given ‘identifying’ information – but at least it is not totally anonymous. For instance, in the Ukraine, Russia and South Africa, Intended Parents can choose between donors… something that is not available in Spain, Czech Republic or Greece.
I know from speaking with many American Intended Parents who were considering travelling overseas for egg donation cycles, the anonymity was a big reason they chose not to eventually go abroad.. so the availability on non-anonymous donors is very compelling and should bring a shift from Czech Republic (which has been getting a great deal of focus and a large market share of business) to the Ukraine and Russia. The Italians, Swedes, Dutch, Germans, etc have been travelling to these locations for some time … now it’s time for the American market to catch up!
More tomorrow!
Ciao!
Global IVF is in Rome!
After a 12 hour flight from Los Angeles, Lauri & Kathryn (the co-founders and directors of Global IVF, Inc) touched down in Rome. If you haven’t been here, you should make it a point to come at some time in your life. Italy is a magical place! The pizza, the pasta, the gelato… oh we can go on and on, and then everywhere you turn the beautiful statues, the fountains with history etched upon them, the pieces of the past.. touching with modern day life. The cafes, the artists… the people. All we keep saying is ‘we can live here.. when can we move?” Okay – but we’re here for ESHRE – the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. So we’re excited to mingle with embryologists and ART physicians from all over the world, and ask the questions that you would want to ask. But first we meet up with our dear friend, Mary Fusillo, owner of the Donor Solutions in TX. After a few limoncellas (and if you don’t know you’ve got to try — just ask Danny de Vito!) we get down to business and video tape her for an expert interview for Global IVF. Mary is a wealth of information – and we believe the ONLY egg donor agency in the United States that medically prescreens each and every donor and MEETS each and every donor. How many agencies can say that?? Mary is a dynamo – a former fertility nurse who worked with a well know IVF clinic and then Freedom Drugs as an educator and travelled from clinic to clinic – plus a mom herself via egg donation. The woman is incredible – she understands just what her clients need and want and she DELIVERS! We highly recommend her agency – if you’re looking for a medically pre-screened donor with very clean genetic history and just first rate personalities and qualities — look no further.
It’s easy to stay up late into the night in Italy – because everyone else does! The restaurants and cafes stay busy well past midnight.. and most people don’t even sit down to dinner until 10 pm. Needless to say we had a bit of problem getting up in the morning… but the razor thin pizza and red wine was well worth it! Ummmmm!!
This morning Kathryn and I made our way to the convention center – and to the pre conference seminar on Cross Border Reproductive Care. WE know how important cross border reproductive care is becoming — now the rest of the reproductive world knows too! We heard some interesting talks from folks out of Belgium, Italy, and the United States. Plus we had a chance to meet two very interesting people. One was a very intelligent lawyer from Russia – who has been working for the past several years in third party reproductive law and practice in Russia. He was telling us (and we will soon share with you in an EXCLUSIVE video interview) all about doing egg donation and surrogacy in Russia — and why it just might be the next up and coming place for Global IVF travellers! The price is right.. and the legalities seem to be better than India in terms of surrogacy. (egg donation is not an issue at all). They work with same sex, single and hetero and GET THIS you can learn all about your egg donor – including full health history, personality profile, and pictures pictures pictures! That’s been one of the biggest complaints about going abroad for egg donation – that everything is anonymous and that you cannot learn anything about your egg donor. Not so in Russia! And the cost — pretty darn good! Plus they have all inclusive (except for your travel) prices for egg donation and surrogacy – basically you pay one fee and you are guaranteed as many tries as it will take to have a baby. Sounds good to me! Plus their statistics and care are rivaling the rest of the global fertility world.
We also met with a young enterprising woman who runs a company out of the Ukraine – that helps facilitate travel and coordination with clinics for American patients. She invited us to an informal information gathering meeting tomorrow night — so stay tuned, cause as soon as we have new info, you will too! Our mission at Global IVF.com is to keep you updated on all of the latest options for creating or building your family — and by keeping our finger on the pulse of the global fertility market, we can keep you educated and at the top of your game. Keep checking in… we’ll be adding updates from ESHRE each day — and when we get back to the States, we’ll have lots of new and exciting video interviews to share. Make sure to sign on for our free enewsletter and post on our forums! We keep the information flowing , but you, our website visitors, keep us excited about what we do…
Lauri & Kathryn
Egg Donation and Giving Up Your Genetic Link by Marna Gatlin, Founder of PVED www.pved.org
A good friend of ours – Marna Gatlin, Founder of PVED (parents via egg donation in the United States) wrote this article recently. It really touched us here at Global IVF – because regardless of where in the world we decide to do egg donation — if that is what we need to /have to do in order to have a child — then these thoughts/issues will come up for us too. Anyone who turns to egg donation as a means of creating or adding to their family will inevitably have to deal with the issues of giving up their genetic link. Some of us have an easier time doing this than others. Psychological counseling can help. Organizations like PVED can help. It’s good to know that you’re not alone when you’re going through these issues. Because often times they can be alienating and overwhelming. Egg donation is now available throughout the world. There are pros & cons of going to different countries to do it. Sometimes the reasons are legal, sometimes financial, sometimes emotional. The good news is the success rates of having a child via egg donation in most countries that are now doing it around the world are quite high. This was not so true even just a few years ago. For those of us who are infertile, or fertility – challenged, we are thankful that egg donation is available. – Global IVF, Inc.
I was quoted the other day in the New York Times <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/11/health/11eggs.html> about my feelings about regulation regarding egg donation. I am not shy about how I feel on the subject. I think less is more where the government is concerned. The issue being that we are supposed to be a self-regulating community regarding egg donation and Third-Party reproduction and we aren’t. The Nadya Suleman’s of the world have put the “freak show” back into Advanced Reproductive Technology (ART), which frankly irritates me to no end because we as a community have worked so hard to educate the public about ART specifically egg donation. Moreover, while we want to put a face on those who create their families via egg donation many of us are afraid to be “outed “because of public reaction to something “different.” The NYT article as well as the ABC TV news story <
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/egg-donation-agencies-paid-money-favored-attributes/story?id=10614326> focused on the cost of eggs and those agencies who don’t abide by ASRM guidelines because after all they are just guidelines. ABC also focused on donor compensation, and what characteristics recipients felt were important in making their donor selection.
This got me to thinking about egg donation as a whole. How I get from point “A” to point “B” meaning how I made my own donor choices and my journey along the way. For me when I received my diagnosis that to create my family and become a mother I would need to rely on an egg donor I was initially relieved. Finally, a doctor could name what was wrong with me instead shrugging and saying “I don’t know.”
After 16 years of failure I was sick of “I don’t know.”
Then I began to ruminate – about my future child, about the fact I would not be seeing myself in the eyes of my child, or for that matter having a child that would have no genetic connection to me or my side of the family. I won’t fool you – that was a tough pill to swallow. Nevertheless, I swallowed it. I gnashed my teeth in the beginning because I didn’t know any better. I cried bitterly and shook my fist at my creator. “Nine times I lost babies and now you are telling me I can have a child maybe but I have to give up my genetics? Have you lost your mind!?”
So what did I do? I took the blue pill and jumped through the looking glass with both feet. I have never looked back. I have only gone forward. For instance, I decided I hated the fact I am a shrimp. Being short has been the bane of my existence. I feel strongly that tall people have it easier in life. Therefore, I decided I wanted a tall donor – an Amazon if I could find one. A tall donor coupled with my husband’s 6’3 stature would create a very tall child. I have some cardiac issues on my side of the family as well as Diabetes. I wanted to make sure my egg donor had a clean health history. I also was sick of my stick straight dark hair that never did anything. I have paid a lot of money over the years to have curly hair – so I selected an egg donor with thick curly hair. Is that being vain? Probably. However, my mindset was if I have to trade in my own genetics I might as well find someone not only had the characteristics I found appealing, but also someone that I could connect with, and fit into our family.
Was I scared? You bet I was. The insecurity I felt was overwhelming. However, I realized through the process it wasn’t just about losing my genetic link it was about finally becoming a mom. 1. Would I be a good mother? 2. Would I be as good of a mother as my own mother who inspires me every day? 3. Would I screw up my kid? 4. Would I be able to love this child even though this child and I shared no DNA?
Finally, when I was able to answer those questions:
1. Yes
2. Yes, my own mom taught me the most important thing about being a parent was to love your children unconditionally and to accept your children period – warts and all.
3. Yes, not only would I screw up my kid, I was going to do it on a regular basis. I was going to do it so much that I decided I would provide my kid with a “therapy bucket”. Every time I screwed him up, I’d give him a buck to toss in the therapy bucket to pay for the therapy he’d need later in his life.
4. Yes! Yes! Yes! I have to say this was probably the easiest part for me – was to love him unconditionally. And this is coming from someone who started out in a rocky place. I didn’t feel worthy of this piece of perfection, and when I finally got it together and came to realize I was deserving of this being who loved me unconditionally my shields and defenses came down I began to love and haven’t stopped since.
When I hear the media use the term designer babies, or read the snarky comments from those who do not agree with how intended parents select their egg donors I am left with the question – “How did you go about selecting your mate or life partner?” There were certainly characteristics you found attractive or appealing were there not? It is the same for us – except we do not get to use our own genetics to have our children we rely on a third party for that purpose – and with that being said, I see no reason for us not to be able to be comfortable with our egg donor selection.
So let us fast forward to 2010 – almost 10 years have passed since the birth of my son. The whole egg donor – selection process is hazy. In fact, even though I am the founder of PVED <http://www.pved.org/> I often forget about the donor aspect because he is simply my son. He is an amazing, beautiful, well-adjusted, blue eyed, very tall nine year old who could care less about the manner in which he was conceived. Moreover, we don’t care how he was conceived. We are just glad he is here, that he is part of our family, and I am thankful every day for the privilege to love him.
I am not sure even why I feel the need to defend my choices. In the end, what others think is not important. I am my son’s mom they aren’t.
Cross-Border Infertility Treatment Study
You are invited to take part in a research study exploring what motivates patients to travel to another country for infertility treatment and to learn about their experiences during treatment.Who can take part?
Anyone who has gone outside their home country for infertility treatment, has access to the internet and is able to communicate in English.
What will you have to do?
The information will be collected via an individual email interview, to be conducted in the strictest confidence with your anonymity assured. You will be asked demographic questions (e.g. age, educational level) and 8 questions relating to your cross-border infertility treatment. These will be sent to you one at a time, and each question may be followed by supplementaryquestions. The whole email discussion is expected to be completed within 3weeks.
To take part in this study, please contact Steve Lui at the following confidential email address: cbit@hud.ac.uk.
Address: School of Human and Health Sciences Harold Wilson Building, University of Huddersfield, Queensgate,Huddersfield. England HD1 3DH http://www2.hud.ac.uk/hhs/
Global IVF Video Guest Expert Series: Dr. Daniel Potter of Huntington Reproductive Center and MicroSort West in Laguna Beach CA
Global IVF strives to bring you the most current and useful information regarding all things infertility related around the world. Every month, Global IVF features ‘experts’ in their field – a reproductive endocrinologist, a reproductive clinic, an embryologist, a reproductive lawyer, a medical tourism company, a therapist, etc. Not only will you be privy to their inside information and expertise, with many of them you will have the chance to ask and get answers to your own specific questions!
This week Global IVF is featuring Guest Expert Dr. Daniel Potter of Huntington Reproductive Center and MicroSort West in Laguna Beach CA. This is the first video in a three part series featuring Dr. Potter. Doctor Potter’s active research interests include gender selection, ovarian reserve testing, endometrial preparation for IVF with donor egg, embryo cryopreservation and frozen embryo transfer. Dr. Potter is also author of the book: What to Do When You Can’t Get Pregnant: The Complete Guide to All the Technologies for Couples Facing Fertility Problems (Marlow and Company, New York, New York 2005.) Please visit http://www.globalivf.com/expert-profiles2.php at GlobalIVF.com.
About Global IVF:
To fill the niche in the ever-growing trend in cross-border travel for reproductive care, Kathryn Kaycoff-Manos and Lauri Berger de Brito founded Global IVF.com, the ultimate Global Guide devoted to Infertility and all related services available worldwide.
Free membership to GlobalIVF.com also includes bi-monthly newsletters and full access to Global IVF’s blogs and online chat forums, allowing intended parents to share experiences and collect advice about specific clinics and treatments currently offered worldwide.
About The Founders:
After working for a combined thirty-five years producing television shows for network and cable TV, Ms. Kaycoff-Manos and Ms. de Brito redirected their creative, managerial and people skills into helping others. It was years of their own personal fertility struggles — where the two independently underwent numerous fertility-related surgeries, alternative and controversial treatments, multiple miscarriages, IVFs, three egg donors and four surrogates before successfully having their own families – that naturally transformed them from television producers to baby producers.
In 2004, they opened Agency for Surrogacy Solutions, Inc. in Los Angeles, where they took their business acumen and compassion and created one of the world’s most successful and well-respected surrogacy agencies. They later expanded it to include Agency for Fertility Solutions, which offers fertility plans, financial counseling and personalized egg donor searches. Their dealings with fertility patients from across the globe alerted them to the strong need for a website where IVF travelers from all corners of the earth could find informative, up-to-date information on services worldwide, connect with experts, and share experiences with fellow IVF travelers in one place. To fill this ever-growing niche, GlobalIVF.com was created.
Besides bringing their heads and hearts to helping people unravel their fertility options, Ms. de Brito and Ms. Kaycoff-Manos have developed extremely strong relationships with the country’s top infertility clinics, psychologists, attorneys, and support personnel. Both women are sought-after speakers at fertility conferences and groups throughout the United States and on the internet. They’ve written and appeared in numerous magazine articles and on radio and television programs. Ms. de Brito and Ms. Kaycoff-Manos are currently collaborating on a book focusing on Cross-Border IVF Travelers.
GLOBAL IVF: To learn more about Global IVF, visit www.GlobalIVF.com. To advertise on the site, or to be a featured expert, email Marketing@GlobalIVF.com or call 818.232.9300.
Global IVF Launches the Global Community Forums
Global IVF is the only one-stop informational website for IVF travelers — people looking to pursue ART treatments outside of their own country. Now potential Global IVF patients can interact with other people looking to go global for fertility treatments, i.e.; IVF, egg and/or sperm donation, surrogacy. The goals of the Global IVF Forums is to provide education and support to individuals who are interested in learning more about current IVF costs, Reproductive Clinics, Treatments, Third Party Family Building, Laws, Policies and Services world-wide. It is the goal of the Global IVF Forums to create a tight-knit community that encompasses those who are striving to find the best places to under go their IVF treatments, find Surrogates and Egg Donors, and for those who are just exploring their Family Building Options. Some of the forum categories include General IVF Travelers Discussion, Gay & Lesbian Issues, plus discussions by countries including Africa, Australia, Europe, South American, Canada and the United States, to name a few.
Free membership to GlobalIVF.com also includes bi-monthly newsletters and full access to Global IVF’s blogs as well as the online chat forums, allowing intended parents to share experiences and collect advice about specific clinics and treatments currently offered worldwide. Due to our newest technological upgrades those who have signed up for these forums in the past need to sign up once again to gain access.
GlobalIVF.com also highlights a leading expert in the field of fertility each month with in-depth video interviews and featured articles about fertility advancements and the latest of care. Some of the upcoming 2010 experts are Dr. Vicken Sahakian (Pacific Fertility Center, CA), Andrea Bryman (psychologist specializing in infertility), Wendie Wilson (Gifted Journeys Egg Donor Agency), Dr. David Tourgeman (Huntington Reproductive Center, CA), and Richard Vaughn (National Fertility Law, CA).
Join Global IVF today and start your own world wide Family Building Journey!
ABOUT THE FOUNDERS:
After working for a combined thirty-five years producing television shows for network and cable TV, Ms. Kaycoff-Manos and Ms.de Brito redirected their creative, managerial and people skills into helping others. It was years of their own personal fertility struggles — where the two independently underwent numerous fertility-related surgeries, alternative and controversial treatments, multiple miscarriages, IVFs, three egg donors and four surrogates before successfully having their own families – that naturally transformed them from television producers to baby producers.
In 2004, they opened Agency for Surrogacy Solutions, Inc. in Los Angeles, where they took their business acumen and compassion and created one of the world’s most successful and well-respected surrogacy agencies. They later expanded it to include Agency for Fertility Solutions, which offers fertility plans, financial counseling and personalized egg donor searches. Their dealings with fertility patients from across the globe alerted them to the strong need for a website where IVF travelers from all corners of the earth could find informative, up-to-date information on services worldwide, connect with experts, and share experiences with fellow IVF travelers in one place. To fill this ever-growing niche, GlobalIVF.com was created.
Besides bringing their heads and hearts to helping people unravel their fertility options, Ms. de Brito and Ms. Kaycoff-Manos have developed extremely strong relationships with the country’s top infertility clinics, psychologists, attorneys, and support personnel. Both women are sought-after speakers at fertility conferences and groups throughout the United States and on the internet. They’ve written and appeared in numerous magazine articles and on radio and television programs. Ms. de Brito and Ms. Kaycoff-Manos are currently collaborating on a book focusing on Cross-Border IVF Travelers.
Kathryn Kaycoff-Manos is a mother of identical twin boys and Lauri de Brito is mother to 3 children and is currently embarking on her third gestational surrogacy journey.
GLOBAL IVF: To learn more about Global IVF, visit www.GlobalIVF.com
. To advertise on the site, or to be a featured expert, email Marketing@GlobalIVF.com or call 818.232.9300
Global IVF Launches the Only One-Stop International Web Portal for Cross Border Reproductive Care & Travel
To fill the niche in the ever-growing trend in cross-border travel for reproductive care, Kathryn Kaycoff-Manos and Lauri Berger de Brito founded Global IVF.com, the ultimate Global Guide devoted to Infertility and all related services available worldwide.
Los Angeles, California – Global IVF: Kathryn Kaycoff-Manos and Lauri Berger de Brito, both parents via assisted reproduction as well as the owners of the very successful Agency for Surrogacy Solutions, are proud to announce the ultimate Global Guide devoted to Infertility and all related services available worldwide,
Global IVF.com — an all inclusive website, providing current information on reproductive clinics, costs, treatments, third party reproductive availability, laws, policies, statistics, cutting- edge developments and services worldwide.
GlobalIVF.com also highlights a leading expert in the field of fertility each month with in-depth video interviews and featured articles about fertility advancements and the latest of care. Some of the 2010 experts are Dr. Vicken Sahakian (Pacific Fertility Center, CA), Abigail Glass (MFTT specializing in infertility), Wendie Wilson (Gifted Journeys Egg Donor Agency), Dr. Daniel Potter (Huntington Reproductive Center, CA), and Richard Vaughn (National Fertility Law, CA).
Free membership to GlobalIVF.com also includes bi-monthly newsletters and full access to Global IVF’s blogs and online chat forums, allowing intended parents to share experiences and collect advice about specific clinics and treatments currently offered worldwide.
Global IVF.com offers an array of advertising packages to fit most company budgets. All of Global IVF.com’s web visitors are pro-active, potential patients who need and want a single, trusted, authoritative source to help them make critical choices about their fertility care. These patients are already looking to travel outside their own country for fertility care, GlobalIVF.com helps them make the important decision as to WHERE they should go. When advertising with Global IVF.com, fertility clinics, doctors, agencies, tourism companies, etc can enjoy international exposure plus immediate connection with their target audience.
ABOUT THE FOUNDERS:
After working for a combined thirty-five years producing television shows for network and cable TV, Ms. Kaycoff-Manos and Ms. de Brito redirected their creative, managerial and people skills into helping others. It was years of their own personal fertility struggles — where the two independently underwent numerous fertility-related surgeries, alternative and controversial treatments, multiple miscarriages, IVFs, three egg donors and four surrogates before successfully having their own families – that naturally transformed them from television producers to baby producers.
In 2004, they opened Agency for Surrogacy Solutions, Inc. in Los Angeles, where they took their business acumen and compassion and created one of the world’s most successful and well-respected surrogacy agencies. They later expanded it to include Agency for Fertility Solutions, which offers fertility plans, financial counseling and personalized egg donor searches. Their dealings with fertility patients from across the globe alerted them to the strong need for a website where IVF travelers from all corners of the earth could find informative, up-to-date information on services worldwide, connect with experts, and share experiences with fellow IVF travelers in one place. To fill this ever-growing niche, GlobalIVF.com was created.
Besides bringing their heads and hearts to helping people unravel their fertility options, Ms. de Brito and Ms. Kaycoff-Manos have developed extremely strong relationships with the country’s top infertility clinics, psychologists, attorneys, and support personnel. Both women are sought-after speakers at fertility conferences and groups throughout the United States and on the internet. They’ve written and appeared in numerous magazine articles and on radio and television programs. Ms. de Brito and Ms. Kaycoff-Manos are currently collaborating on a book focusing on Cross-Border IVF Travelers.
Kathryn Kaycoff-Manos is a mother of identical twin boys and Lauri de Brito is mother to 3 children and is currently embarking on her third gestational surrogacy journey.
GLOBAL IVF: To learn more about Global IVF, visit www.GlobalIVF.com. To advertise on the site, or to be a featured expert, email Marketing@GlobalIVF.com or call 818.232.9300.
Surrogacy in India – New Problems Arise
At GlobalIVF.com we do not advocate one surrogacy decision over another. For some IPs, who are able to afford the high costs associated with gestational surrogacy, going to the United States is the right choice. But for many others, who cannot absorb the incredible price tag that comes with an American surrogacy, the only options remain in other countries, where surrogacy is not as longstanding both legally and ethically. India is gaining great popularity in the world of surrogacy – because of its advanced medical treatment and its relatively inexpensive pricetag.. But unfortunately it comes with other costs, some which might not have been taken into account at the onset of the journey.
At GlobalIVF.com, we are encouraged and excited by all the global options available to us. But as Theresa Erickson points out below, before choosing your surrogacy destination, please make sure you do your research.
India Fertility Industry Hit with Another Blow & Americans Giving Birth Overseas Using an Egg Donor
In an article that was just posted in India, controvery continues to follow India and its fertility industry. In this article entitled rightly so, “In the Womb of Controversy,” the writer states the following:
“As high drama is being played out in Indian courts over surrogacy issues, the US consulate in Chennai, perhaps worried about the rash of litigations has decided to tighten its visa processing norms, particularly for couples coming to the city for fertility treatment and assisted reproduction.
About a month ago, Vimala (name changed), a US citizen, returning home after delivering a healthy baby boy, was put through a grilling at the US consulate in Chennai when she went to obtain a passport for her new-born. On learning that she had conceived the child with the help of donor eggs (through assisted reproduction by transfer of eggs or oocytes donated by another woman), the consulate declined to recognise her as the biological mother.
“The father’s name and mother’s name are mentioned in the consular report of birth. This certificate is issued to recognise a US citizen child born outside the country. But the certificate for my son does not list me as the mother. I had to go through a lawyer to process adoption in the US and get the certificate amended to incorporate my name,” Vimala said in a communication to her doctor.
The incident triggered protests among a section of fertility experts in Chennai and kicked off a debate on personal privacy and patient confidentiality and the need for laws. “The laws in India and those of countries from where patients come for treatment should be made clear. Our guidelines state that a surrogate mother gives a written undertaking relinquishing all rights over the child, and the same applies to an egg donor as well,” pointed out Dr Priya Selvaraj of the Chennai-based GG hospital.
Dr Falguni Bavishi of the Ahmedabad-based Bavishi Fertility Institute insisted that none of her patients, five so far from the US and who delivered through donor eggs, faced ‘harassment’ at the consulate. “We made it clear to the consulate that the delivery was through egg donation,” she said.
With the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill 2008 still in the cans, India’s stand on issues relating to surrogacy remains a set of guidelines on paper. Said Dr PM Bhargava, the chief architect of the Bill and former member of National Knowledge Commission: “The draft bill clearly says that if anyone from outside the country wishes to have a child using ART procedure, they have to produce evidence that they can take back the child without problems.”
According to Bhargava, one of the architects of the Bill, issues relating to surrogacy have been addressed in the proposed legislation. “We had foreseen problems like this (the legal tussle between divorced Japanese parents and their daughter Manjhi Yamada, born from an Indian surrogate mother and the case of the German couple fighting for citizenship for their twins),” he said.
In the case of the German couple, the Supreme Court has suggested that adoption would be the only way out for their surrogate twins.
Authorities in Germany, which does not recognise surrogacy, were willing to consider their application for a temporary visa for the twins for initiation of adoption process.
US consulate officials declined to comment, merely citing the US Federal statutes governing acquisition of US citizenship by birth abroad to a US citizen parent. Section 7 FAM 1131.4-2 (Citizenship in Artificial and In Vitro Insemination Cases) states that “a child born abroad to a surrogate mother who is the blood mother (that is, who was the egg-donor) and whose father was a US citizen is treated for citizenship purposes as a child born out of wedlock”.
But with the ART bill gathering dust and India emerging as a major hub for transcultural surrogacy, the country could well see more cases like that of Jan Balaz and Susan Lohle, the German couple battling to save their surrogate twins from becoming stateless citizens. “
However, women using egg donors and giving birth overseas anywhere need to be aware of this issue, as I have seen it several times in Israel, as well as other countries. Currently, you will have to do an adoption once you return home to the US if you inform them that an egg donor was used. Be careful! And, again this is why it is important to do your research beforehand.
