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Our Story
My husband Lee and I have been married for 13 years. We welcomed our son, Bram, in 2015 through gestational surrogacy.
At the age of 14 I was diagnosed with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrome (MRKH), which is a congenital condition (meaning it was present at birth) that results from the incomplete development of the female reproductive tract (medical term: mullerian agenesis). Women with MRKH generally have fully functional ovaries, and are genetically female with typical external genitalia but lack a functional uterus and cervix. Lee and I always knew surrogacy would be the way we would achieve our dream of becoming parents.
Around 2011, when we felt ready to start our journey, without doing much research, we scheduled a consult with a local IVF clinic. The doctor explained the process and gave us the estimated $100,000- 150,000 price quote that often accompanies fertility treatments and surrogacy.
We were shocked. But instead of giving up hope, Lee and I began to research the complex world of surrogacy, all the while saving every penny we could. I dedicated countless hours trying to find ways to afford IVF and surrogacy, thinking there must be ways to minimize the cost. Its insult to injury that most that people are faced with “Financial Infertility” on top of Medical Infertility, and Too many people give up early-on in their journey, thinking it’s impossible after learning the potential costs and fees associated with IVF and surrogacy.
After years of research we were determined that we could spend under $50,000 and have a baby in our arms one day. When it was all said and done, we were actually able to spend under $25,000! In 2014, our journey officially began when we applied for and was miraculously awarded an IVF grant from the Tinina Q. Cade Foundation. Then a friend of a friend offered to serve as our gestational carrier (I like to think of it as an extreme babysitter) and after a fairy tale journey, our son Bram was born. Our lives were forever changed and we instantly fell head over heels in love with him.
Since “going public” about our infertility journey we have received an outpouring of love and support and have become increasingly involved in the amazing Infertility and Surrogacy community. Throughout our journey I documented and shared with my new friends and community all of the tips I learned along the way, to make the process more affordable. Realizing others could benefit from this information, I created AffordingSurrogacy.com.
At the age of 14 I was diagnosed with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrome (MRKH), which is a congenital condition (meaning it was present at birth) that results from the incomplete development of the female reproductive tract (medical term: mullerian agenesis). Women with MRKH generally have fully functional ovaries, and are genetically female with typical external genitalia but lack a functional uterus and cervix. Lee and I always knew surrogacy would be the way we would achieve our dream of becoming parents.
Around 2011, when we felt ready to start our journey, without doing much research, we scheduled a consult with a local IVF clinic. The doctor explained the process and gave us the estimated $100,000- 150,000 price quote that often accompanies fertility treatments and surrogacy.
We were shocked. But instead of giving up hope, Lee and I began to research the complex world of surrogacy, all the while saving every penny we could. I dedicated countless hours trying to find ways to afford IVF and surrogacy, thinking there must be ways to minimize the cost. Its insult to injury that most that people are faced with “Financial Infertility” on top of Medical Infertility, and Too many people give up early-on in their journey, thinking it’s impossible after learning the potential costs and fees associated with IVF and surrogacy.
After years of research we were determined that we could spend under $50,000 and have a baby in our arms one day. When it was all said and done, we were actually able to spend under $25,000! In 2014, our journey officially began when we applied for and was miraculously awarded an IVF grant from the Tinina Q. Cade Foundation. Then a friend of a friend offered to serve as our gestational carrier (I like to think of it as an extreme babysitter) and after a fairy tale journey, our son Bram was born. Our lives were forever changed and we instantly fell head over heels in love with him.
Since “going public” about our infertility journey we have received an outpouring of love and support and have become increasingly involved in the amazing Infertility and Surrogacy community. Throughout our journey I documented and shared with my new friends and community all of the tips I learned along the way, to make the process more affordable. Realizing others could benefit from this information, I created AffordingSurrogacy.com.
You can read about our entire surrogacy journey and our life as new parents after infertility at our personal blog ChrissyandLee.com
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