Before transfer
ASRM recommends medical evaluation, infectious-disease screening, psychosocial evaluation and counseling, and uterine-cavity evaluation before a carrier is accepted for treatment. The clinic determines the exact testing and preparation protocol.
Uterine preparation
Depending on the protocol, the carrier may use hormonal medication or another preparation approach before embryo transfer. There is no single medication schedule that applies to every cycle.
Embryo transfer
The embryo-transfer procedure places an embryo into the uterus through the cervix. ASRM strongly recommends single-embryo transfer in gestational-carrier cycles because multiple gestation increases pregnancy risk.
Pregnancy follow-up
The clinic sets the schedule for pregnancy testing and early follow-up after transfer. If pregnancy is established, the timing of transition from the fertility clinic to obstetric care is clinic-specific.
Whose embryo is transferred?
In gestational surrogacy, the carrier does not provide the egg used to create the embryo. Genetic contributors may be intended parents, donors, or a combination. Embryos may already exist before the carrier enters treatment, or embryo creation may be coordinated as part of the broader journey.
Medical autonomy
The carrier remains the source of consent for her medical care throughout treatment, pregnancy, labor, delivery and aftercare. A contract can document expectations, but it does not transfer medical decision-making authority to intended parents.