Happy Birthday to Louise Brown, the First IVF baby!
On July 25th, the world celebrated the 40th birthday of the first baby born through IVF.
Her name is Louise Joy Brown. She is known as the world’s first test tube baby and is an example of hope and joy for many of those who struggle with infertility. Louise Joy Brown was born on July 25, 1978, and later the births of Courtney Cross on October 16, 1978 and Alastair MacDonald on January 14, 1979- these individuals are celebrated as the first three IVF babies. In the years that have followed, science has progressed and provided hope and opportunity to infertile couples to have their own biological child despite the obstacles they face.
What is infertility and who struggles with it?
According to the CDC, infertility is defined as is the inability to get pregnant after one year or longer of trying with unprotected sex. Age may also play a factor in this as fertility declines as we age. Often times if a woman is struggling to conceive after this period of time, or she has struggled holding onto a pregnancy, then she should seek out the advice and medical treatment of a Reproductive Endocrinologist.
Is it time for you to try IVF and a Surrogate?
Maybe you are at this time in your life, where you have had a few failures of pregnancy on your own with your loved one. Many couples have struggled with getting pregnant for years before seeking help from an IVF clinic or even understanding that there is a problem! Or perhaps you have suffered a medical condition that has caused you and your loved one to be in question of whether you are able to have children. These are all reasons to consider having a surrogate that will carry the child you have always wanted to term for you.
We always encourage parents to come to the conclusion earlier rather than later, that the help of a surrogate may help them avoid issues of loss of the child (henceforth adding to further stress, anxiety and grief). A lot of times, if couples had reverted to the realization that they needed a surrogate sooner – they may have had their children much sooner than they expected or thought possible.
Let’s make this clear: We aren’t detracting or minimizing from the need or want of women to have a biological child by carrying the baby herself, but we have seen couples struggle time and time again for years on end before they realize it is time for a surrogate. Most women may struggle with the idea that another woman will need to carry their child rather than themselves. We realize what an emotional and complex decision or reality this can be.
But as a surrogate agency, Made in the USA Surrogacy is committed to helping families through their emotional struggles as well as getting them a surrogate as soon as they are able to commit to the process of finding a surrogate. We have committed ourselves to as fast of a process as possible to help couples that struggle with infertility to realize their family desires can be reached far sooner in some circumstances if they would just make the decision sooner.
Infertility is common
Recently my husband and I have met couples while out to eat, while out playing golf, or just in our daily conversations with others around us that infertility is a real issue among couples of all shapes, sizes, and ages. Infertility affects 1 out of every 6 couples worldwide. It is not uncommon to personally struggle with or know of someone who is struggling to conceive a child.
Both men and women struggle with infertility for many reasons. Men may have a medical condition such as a disruption of testicular or ejaculatory function, hormonal disorder, or genetic disorder contributing to their infertility, but can be evaluated through a semen analysis. Women need proper functioning of their uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries in order to get pregnant. Any disruption or condition affecting one of these areas could contribute to infertility.
Some medical conditions that may prevent women from becoming pregnant on their own, and therefore needing a surrogate can include issues and diagnosis such as: endometriosis, sexually transmitted diseases, poor egg quality, age-related fertility issues, multiple miscarriages, medically diagnosed inability to carry a baby to term, polycystic ovarian syndrome, or unexplained infertility. These conditions only scratch the surface for reasons that couples will pursue IVF treatment or the use of doctors like Reproductive Endocrinologists.
Infertility can be treated with medical intervention by the use of medicine, surgery, intrauterine insemination, or assisted reproductive technology. Often times two or more of these approaches will be attempted in order to have a successful pregnancy. But many times, procedures such as these may or may not fix the problem, making it all the more reason to use a gestational surrogate.
Over 8 million babies!
Since the first successful IVF baby, Louise Brown, over 8 million babies have been conceived and born through Assisted Reproductive Technology! Of those, cycles the use of a gestational surrogate is becoming more and more common. According to the Society for Reproductive Technologies, IVF is considered the most effective form of treatment for infertility.
Final Thoughts
If you are considering using a surrogate, have had multiple rounds of IVF on your own, or have been interested in using a gestational surrogate – wait no longer! Our confident and knowledgeable staff will answer all of your questions related to the process of being a parent through surrogacy, or the process of becoming a surrogate through our agency.
We encourage all parents to start the process as soon as possible if they know they are in need of a surrogate since surrogacy is a popular form of infertility treatment and has led to so many families completing their dreams of having the baby they have always wanted.
Please fill out our surrogate inquiry if you are interested in becoming a surrogate with our agency or our parent inquiry if you are in need of a gestational surrogate to complete your family journey!
