Clinic Partnerships,  Dad Blog,  Egg Donation,  Fertility,  LGBT,  Parenting,  Surrogacy

What does the journey to parenthood look like for future Dads with CRGH?

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One of our objectives as a leading fertility clinic is to ensure that the pathway to parenthood is as simple and easy as possible for every person we work with. This is particularly true for same sex male couples or solo male parents, for whom the process has historically been thought of (perhaps correctly) as complex and difficult. We’re proud to have made continuous improvements to our surrogacy and donor egg treatment pathways over the last 10 years, and are committed to continuing to do so as the legal landscape continues to change in the coming years. So what does the journey to parenthood look like for future Dads with CRGH?

Treatment options for future Dads at CRGH

There is a growing range of treatment options for people who want to pursue their journey to fatherhood with CRGH. The most well known treatment type for same sex male couples or solo male parents is surrogacy treatment, where a surrogate carries the pregnancy for the intended parent(s). Surrogacy at CRGH is a really well established pathway and we have a dedicated team of nurses, consultants and coordinators who are experts in guiding intended parents and surrogates through the process to parenthood.

CRGH’s Lead Surrogacy Nurse, Shanee, is a passionate part of that team, bringing together all of the medical aspects of surrogacy treatment into a simple, easily followed pathway which follows all the necessary steps and checks without feeling overwhelming or confusing. Shanee recently met with TwoDads and MySurrogacyJourney founder Mike to discuss her role in the Surrogacy team at CRGH and what CRGH does to make the journey as easy as possible for everyone involved.

CRGH has also created new donor egg recipient pathways to help expand the availability of donor eggs for those considering surrogacy treatment with donated eggs. By continually investing in new solutions and pathways we know that we can continue to lead the way when it comes to providing the very best treatment options for future Dads, and everyone else too. Our Deputy Medical Director Mr Ali Al Chami recently recorded a podcast episode with the TwoDads podcast talking about “Who needs surrogacy?” – a really insightful expert chat about a part of fertility treatment which is changing quickly.

The journey to parenthood at CRGH

Every journey to parenthood is unique. One of the factors which allows us to achieve consistently outstanding success rates is our refusal to accept a “one-size-fits-all” approach, even when that might be easier or more straight forward. Every person we work with, without exception, receives treatment which is tailored to their exact needs. However, there are some key milestones which are included in most journeys:

  • An initial consultation; this is the start of most journeys, a meeting with a consultant of your choice who will explain to you the options which are available, or request some tests and investigations to help inform the best way forward.
  • Tests and investigations; the exact tests will vary depending on your unique circumstances. These results help build up a body of evidence that help your consultant suggest the best possible way forward.
  • Treatment; once a treatment plan is agreed you can move into treatment itself. Your consultant, our nurses and co-ordinators are on hand throughout to ensure everything runs smoothly. Each journey is crafted to ensure the best possible chances of success, meaning some might take longer than others. We’ve partnered with the likes of MySurrogacyJourney to ensure we can help people considering surrogacy treatment meet potential surrogates in a safe, convenient way.

If you’re considering becoming a Dad with CRGH we would like to offer you a free “mini consultation” which is with one of our consultants via telephone. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about our surrogacy and egg donation programmes completely free of change. We look forward to welcoming you to the Centre for Reproductive and Genetic Health.

Michael Johnson-Ellis is Dad to Talulah and Duke, step Dad to Katie, and husband to Wes. Since having children Michael changed his career from a stressful city job, to being an award winning Surrogacy advocate, supporting those who are struggling to conceive or are from the LGBTQ community, and dream of parenthood. Michael blogs and documents his life as a parent via TwoDadsUK® on Facebook and Instagram. Michael and Wes are both founders of TwoDadsUK®(www.TwoDadsUK.com), The Modern Family Show 2021 (the only UK LGBTQ family building event, and the latest Surrogacy not for profit organisation My Surrogacy Journey®(www.mysurrogacyjourney.com). Michael also writes for IVF Babble, the world’s largest online fertility magazine and has recently established IVF Babble LGBT. Michael recently was awarded one of the twenty two Census purple plaques, recognising his work to the trying to conceive community. TwoDadsUK has collaborated with brands such as Cow & Gate Baby Club, Audi, Save The Children, Vodafone, Sainsburys, and appeared on TV such as BBC Breakfast, CBeebies and Channel 4 to name a few.

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