Introducing the first Secure Baby Program in Mexico!

Once Joey and I launched IP Conceptions we began to receive various inquiries from all over the world.  Before surrogacy in Thailand was discontinued, surrogacy programs in Mexico were investigated with more attention to detail.  At that time we were one of only a few coordinators working with CEFAM, so people were curious and they sent inquiries.  One of the early inquires we received was from an international surrogacy facilitator that works with IPs from Israel, Hungary, England and Spain.  After multiple e-mail exchanges and Skype conferences, both sides decided that this was a business relationship worth pursuing.  However, one of the options they were extremely interested in offering their clients was a guaranteed baby program.  Prior to agreeing to work with IPC as their U.S. based surrogacy coordinator, CEFAM had been working with a surrogacy facilitator in Canada who had developed his version of a "guaranteed baby program".  For a substantially higher total cost, his program provided IPs with a total of six (6) attempts (a combination of fresh or frozen transfers) and if after those six (6) attempts they did not achieve a complete pregnancy, they would be entitled to a refund of 50% of the Stage I fees paid for the program.

Our international facilitators were not happy with this program.  And I completely understood why.  Their clients wanted a baby; they didn't want 50% of their money refunded.  They didn't want to be faced with six (6) failed cycles followed by an apology and a refund.  They wanted a baby.  Plain and simple.  And that's exactly what we wanted to give them!

We went to CEFAM, who had always been extremely receptive to our requests and proposals in favor of assisting IPs, and we told them what we needed in order to assist these international IPs.  We provided them with a price point and we asked them to do the analysis, asses the risk and let us know if an actual "guaranteed baby program" was something they could and would feel comfortable offering to these IPs.

I am extremely proud to say (as I am typically very proud of the way CEFAM responds to the needs of our IPs) that CEFAM came back with a resounding "YES WE CAN!"  They gave us a price, an outline of the services and a proposed payment schedule.  We had the green light to offer the very first truly "guaranteed baby program" which we proudly labeled the "Secure Baby Program".  Our international facilitators were thrilled with the details of this program and by having the ability to offer this unique, first of its kind program to address the needs of their clients we were certainly able to reinforce our strong commitment to creating custom, personalized surrogacy journeys that closely match our IPs vision.

Please let there be no misunderstanding.  If you choose to move forward within our "Secure Baby Program", you will pay a higher program cost but you will ultimately go home with a baby.  If that happens on the very first cycle with eggs from your first egg donor and the assistance of your first surrogate, then you absorbed the financial risk and you return home with a baby - the cost of the program stays the same; there is no increase and there is no decrease.  If that happens on the tenth cycle with eggs from your third egg donor and the assistance of your fourth surrogate, then CEFAM absorbed the financial risk and you return home with a baby - the cost of the program stays the same; there is no increase and there is no decrease.  No matter how long it takes, if you have the stamina and emotional endurance to continue moving forward, we do too.  We will not rest until you are safely sitting on the plane departing Mexico in route home.

As a coordinator, being able to offer a "Secure Baby Program" is a dream come true.  Although it's never pleasant to inform IPs that a cycle wasn't successful, knowing we have the ability to keep going until it is; knowing we're not stopping until we achieve success; knowing we are going to realize the dream of becoming parents no matter how long it takes somehow makes the few unsuccessful cycles a bit more manageable.

Now that international surrogacy in Mexico has become the hottest new thing and CEFAM is the most desired clinic in the entire country, there will probably be many surrogacy agencies offering our "Secure Baby Program" to IPs everywhere.  That's okay with us.  We knew it would happen and since our ultimate concern is satisfying the needs and desires of the IPs, we are happy to know they will have access to this program from multiple sources.  Just be sure to read the fine print and confirm your understanding of the details involved in the program you are being offered.  We are always available to answer questions and/or to provide further detail regarding the "Secure Baby Program" as it was originally created.

We wish you the best of luck on your international surrogacy journey in Mexico and we hope your journey is a success!

Eternally hopeful, Forever faithful, Always grateful...

Catherine
IPC

Minds have been changed...

When we first began our program in March 2013, surrogacy was fairly new and many in the international surrogacy community expressed concerns. “Surrogacy in Mexico is too new; surrogacy in Mexico is scary; surrogacy in Mexico is unsettled”. I can't count the number of times I heard "I just don’t feel comfortable recommending surrogacy in Mexico". I would smile in response and say "give me some time, I'll change your mind about surrogacy in Mexico.”

Well, judging by the number of new surrogacy agencies moving into Mexico in the recent days, I’d say I’ve accomplished my goal.  It appears as though minds have been changed.  It appears as though surrogacy in Mexico has gotten older, safer and more settled.   Now, it seems there are many people that feel comfortable recommending surrogacy in Mexico.  Minds have been changed about surrogacy in Mexico.

It’s true that surrogacy in Mexico has gotten older – simply happened with the passage of time.  Surrogacy in Mexico was brought into the spotlight in the beginning of 2013.  And the nature of the process is such that time equals experience and success, in part.  It’s been approximately 18 months since the clock started ticking so yes…surrogacy in Mexico has gotten older.

I suppose it could be said that surrogacy in Mexico has gotten safer in some ways.  It’s safer in a personal respect – the U.S. state department has removed the travel advisory previously placed on Mexico City at the beginning of the year.  Presently, there are no travel advisories in place for either Mexico City or Villahermosa and statistically there is more crime in Chicago than there is in Mexico City.  And since those are the two locations in Mexico where intended parents will have to spend their time, I suppose you could say yes…surrogacy in Mexico has gotten safer.

Whether surrogacy in Mexico has gotten more settled, I suppose depends largely on the basis for the claim it was “unsettled”.  If I had to guess, the exit process would be my number one answer as the reason for claiming it unsettled.  When I first encountered this objection in March 2013, I don’t know if there were many (of if there were any at all) intended parents from the U.S. that had babies via surrogacy in Mexico and had already brought them home, having successfully navigated the exit process.  We had created a process on paper and we had the utmost confidence that our process was solid but the fact remained that our process had not been tested and/or verified by either practical application or by comparison.  And our colleagues were all in similar situations with an unverified, untested exit processes.  Since that time, babies have been born to U.S. IPs and they have successfully navigated the exit process, returning home with their babies born via surrogacy in Mexico within our estimated timeframe.  These IPs are not from our program, but we have had personal interaction with them and we have been able to verify that our process, the process we presently have on paper is, indeed, comprehensive and complete and we can use to assist our intended parents in successfully navigating the exit process and returning home with their baby.  If the exit process was the source of concern, then yes…surrogacy in Mexico has gotten more settled.

Do these three areas of improvement truly explain why minds have been changed about surrogacy in Mexico?  Or have minds been changed about surrogacy in Mexico for reasons that have nothing to do with these areas of improvement?  Do people now feel comfortable recommending surrogacy in Mexico based on a true belief it’s a mature, safe, settled option?  Or do they now feel comfortable recommending surrogacy in Mexico based on necessity?  Regardless of how these questions are answered, whether for good or for bad, one thing is not in dispute…minds have definitely been changed about surrogacy in Mexico!