Every year, an estimated 1,300 babies are born in the United States to gestational carriers — women who bear a child from the egg and sperm of another couple. Only a small percentage of surrogacies are between friends, because close relationships make the situation even more complex.

Read the full article: http://www.wbur.org/2011/06/20/surrogacy-story

She could be the first woman to give birth to a baby using the same womb in which she was conceived and carried to term.

Read the full article: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/w_ParentingResource/daughter-undergo-transplant-mothers-womb/story?id=13830608

Read the full article: http://www.npr.org/2011/05/31/136363039/egg-freezing-puts-the-biological-clock-on-hold

Mr Justice Hedley, who specialises in family law, said it was important to highlight the issue because people were “getting into a mess unnecessarily”.

Four weeks ago a judgement was handed down at the High Court about a baby known only by the initials IJ.

A British couple went to Ukraine and found a woman willing to become a surrogate mother.

Under the law in Ukraine the baby’s parents are the British couple. Under the law in England and Wales the Ukrainian woman and her husband are the parents.

Read the full article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13452330

Read the full article: http://www.census.gov/hhes/fertility/data/cps/index.html

The recent success of Fertility SOURCE Companies (FSC), one of the largest egg donor and surrogacy agencies in the United States, is attributed to their high quality services, dedicated staff and new business development strategies.

“The people at FSC genuinely care about what they do. They don’t view their jobs as just work. Every staff member has a personal story in their past that makes them passionate about creating pathways to parenthood.” – Jacqlyn Rough, Director of Business Development

The staff of Fertility SOURCE Companies has been instrumental to the company’s growth, providing intended parents, donors and surrogates with exceptional service. Donor and Surrogate case managers are located throughout the country in the area of the fertility centers they are servicing. They work closely with those fertility centers in order to provide recipient parents with the most attentive care possible.

“Having personal experience with surrogacy themselves, all of our surrogate case managers are able to offer a unique level of compassion and insight into the process.” – Jamie Williams, Surrogate Program Director

“Our donor case managers possess a unique blend of responsibility and compassion that allows trust from the recipient couples they work with.” – Donna Raidy, Director of Donor Case Management

At FSC, recipient parents have access to one of the largest online interactive databases in the country with over 1250 donors and 25 surrogates from a variety of backgrounds. All potential donors and surrogates must complete a rigorous screening process, which only yields a 2% pass rate. The stringent standards result in an exceptional pool of candidates. The focus on high quality donors and surrogates versus high quantity, has earned Fertility SOURCE Companies trust and respect within the fertility community.

In 2011, business development strategies have been put into effect to increase exposure by reaching out to fertility practices across the country. This has helped to raise awareness about available services, identify customer needs and develop new connections in the fertility world. FSC also utilized its strong web presence to create new business opportunities through a variety of online marketing strategies.

“FSC has cultivated a dominant position on the web in terms of search engine presence and social media marketing, through both internal initiatives and the help of trusted provider I.V. Interactive.” – Susan Bloom, Director of Donor Recruitment and Marketing

Fertility SOURCE Companies has experienced tremendous growth both financially and internally in the first quarter of 2011. As a dynamic organization aiming to cultivate their business, Fertility SOURCE Companies is optimistic that trend will continue throughout the year.

“Our outstanding performance in the first quarter of 2011 is a reflection of the strong support we enjoy in the fertility world for both our egg donation and surrogacy divisions. Our people, organization, systems, and surrogate and egg donor databases are all responsible for the commanding position we enjoy among Third Party Reproduction agencies. We expect to continue our strong performance throughout 2011 notwithstanding any difficulties in the overall economic environment. We appreciate the support given to us by the fertility world and intend to continue to give back superior service to their patients.” – Steve Masler, CEO

Learn more about Fertility SOURCE Companies at http://www.fertilitysourcecompanies.com.

Myth #1: It’s usually the woman’s problem.

Reality: According to Dr. Domar, men are just as likely to have a problem that affects fertility. Her message: If you’re over 35 and have been trying to conceive for six months (or younger, but you’ve been trying for a year), talk to fertility specialist (an ob-gyn who has done a fellowship in reproductive endocrinology). Both you and your partner will probably need to be evaluated.

Myth #2: Treatment is very expensive.

Reality: While some procedures can be quite costly, Dr. Domar says that others are very affordable (medication, for example)…

Read the full article: http://dailywd.womansday.com/blog/2011/04/daily-dose-its-infertility-awareness-week.html

Learn more about National Infertility Awareness Week: http://www.resolve.org/national-infertility-awareness-week/home-page.html

Thanks to all those who participated and made our LGBT Family Building Event so successful! The event was held on Tuesday, March 29th at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center in New York City. Guest Speakers were Dr. Susan Treiser, Co-Founder of IVF New Jersey, Jacqlyn Rough, Director of Business Development for Fertility Source Companies, and Judith Kottick, LCSW.

Dr. Susan Treiser is a board-certified Reproductive Endocrinologist and is the co-founder and co-director of IVF New Jersey. As one of the few board-certified women in her field, Dr. Treiser is known for her caring, competent approach to reproductive care and spoke candidly to the guests about building your family through third-party reproduction. Guests were able to ask their questions and address their concerns openly and Dr. Treiser took the time to answer questions and explain third-party reproduction process thoroughly.

Jacqlyn Rough discussed how Fertility SOURCE Companies/Prospective Families screen candidates who are interested in becoming an egg donor or gestational surrogacy carrier and what that means to couples seeking third-party assisted reproduction services. As the most well-respected agency by fertility practices and intended parents alike, Fertility SOURCE Companies/Prospective Families have the most comprehensive egg donor and surrogacy databases in the country, containing over 1,300 available egg donors from all parts of the country as well as over 25 gestational carriers from the various states permitting gestational surrogacy. Jacqlyn was able to share helpful information to couples who are seeking to find a donor that is right for them. In addition, Jacqlyn invited a previous egg donor to talk about her experience as an egg donor with Fertility SOURCE Companies/Prospective Families. This gave the guests a first hand look at what it’s like for a donor to go through the screening process with Fertility SOURCE Companies/Prospective Families, being selected by the intended parents, and then actually going through a donor cycle.

Judith Kottick, LCSW, is a recognized expert in the field of reproductive counseling. Gestational carrier and egg donor arrangements are particular areas of interest for Judy. Judy spent her time providing a personalized approach to helping people cope with the challenges of fertility. Guests had many questions and Judy was able to provide valuable insight and information. Her message was to let them know that it is possible to go through the fertility process and feel hopeful and balanced.

Special thanks to the following individuals for helping to make this such a successful event:

Shanequa Anderson, LMSW, MPA, CASAC,
Center Families Coordinator
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center – New York.

Shelli DiCioccio
Case Manager,
The Donor Source
Fertility Source Companies

Jane Tervooren
Marketing Director
IVF New Jersey