Fertipedia
In a fertility consultation, you may encounter unfamiliar terms. Here you will find explanations to understand them and prepare questions to discuss with the team.
The words you take from the consultation
Blastocyst, ovarian reserve, or stimulation are some of the terms you might hear during treatment. You can look up their meanings and refer back to them as needed.
Each entry explains what a term means and in what context it appears. The authorship and review information helps you know who prepared the content and when it was reviewed.
The concepts
They are grouped by the moment they usually appear, not in alphabetical order. You can use the search function if you want to find a specific term.
First Steps
- How to Understand a Success RateA success rate is only useful if you know what result it measures, in which individuals, and over how many attempts. Fertilization, pregnancy, and birth are not the same. A percentage from a group does not predict your case's outcome.
- Who does what in the processIntended parents, surrogate mother, medical professionals, laboratory, coordination, and legal advice have distinct roles. Knowing who is responsible for each decision avoids mixed messages and misplaced expectations.
- What to ask in the first consultationThe first consultation should provide a clear path: options for your case, necessary studies, risks, costs, and next steps. You can ask for explanations of any terms and to separate confirmed data from estimates.
- The stages of a surrogacy processThe process includes evaluation, medical and legal planning, embryo creation, surrogate preparation, transfer, pregnancy, and baby paperwork. Some tasks proceed in parallel; others depend on the outcome of the previous one.
- What is surrogacy?Gestational surrogacy involves a family's project and a surrogate mother's decision to carry the pregnancy. The embryo is created through IVF. The process requires medical care, informed agreements, and legal review, respecting each person's well-being and autonomy.
The medical process
- Before Accepting Additional Tests or TreatmentsAn additional procedure must have an indication and an explanation of the evidence, risks, cost, and alternatives. Just because a technique is new or has a complex name does not prove it improves the outcome for your case.
- Semen analysis: how to understand the reportThe semen analysis examines a semen sample, including characteristics such as quantity, movement, and shape of sperm. It guides treatment, but a single value is not enough to predict if you can have a child.
- ICSI: what changes compared to conventional IVFICSI is a fertilization technique where a professional injects a sperm into an egg. It may be indicated due to semen characteristics or other clinical reasons. Facilitating fertilization does not guarantee a pregnancy.
- In vitro fertilization: how embryos are createdIVF combines eggs and sperm in the lab to create embryos. Their development is then observed, and decisions are made about which can be transferred or frozen. Obtaining eggs, fertilizing, and achieving a birth are different stages.
- The studies of intended parentsThe initial evaluation reviews your medical history and the genetic material to be used. The studies depend on who provides eggs or sperm, the background, and the treatment plan; there is no identical list for all families.
Laboratory and embryos
- Freezing and preserving embryosFreezing preserves embryos for later use. Vitrification is a common technique. Preserving them involves decisions about use, authorizations, storage costs, and what to do if your family plans change.
- PGT: what genetic tests of embryos are forPreimplantation genetic tests seek specific information before transferring an embryo. PGT-A, PGT-M, and PGT-SR answer different questions. None rule out all diseases or guarantee a healthy baby.
- How to read your embryo reportThe laboratory report shows what happened with the eggs and embryos, what material is preserved, and what decisions are still pending. Visual classification and genetic results provide different information.
- What is a blastocystA blastocyst is an embryo that has reached a developmental stage with differentiated cell groups and an inner cavity. The laboratory evaluates its development to decide if it can be transferred, frozen, or studied.
Transfer and outcomes
- When a transfer does not achieve the expected resultA transfer may not result in a pregnancy, or the pregnancy may stop afterward. These are different situations. Before repeating or adding procedures, it is advisable to review what happened and explain what would change in the next plan.
- Why transfer a single embryoTransferring more than one embryo can increase the risk of multiple pregnancies. Seeking twins does not make the process safer or more efficient. The team should explain the choice of the number of embryos for that case.
- Beta-hCG: what the pregnancy test indicatesBeta-hCG measures a hormone associated with pregnancy. After a transfer, it is performed on the indicated date. A result needs context and sometimes follow-up; it does not confirm the location or progression of the pregnancy by itself.
- Embryo TransferThe transfer places an embryo inside the uterus of the gestational mother. It is a stage of the treatment, not the confirmation of pregnancy. Afterward, the indicated test by the team should be awaited, and if applicable, the initial follow-up.
The Surrogate
- What agreements with the gestational mother should clarifyAgreements must define responsibilities, care, communication, and how unforeseen situations will be handled. Each party needs to understand what they are signing. The contract does not guarantee a medical outcome nor replace the processes of parentage.
- The autonomy and privacy of the gestational motherThe gestational mother retains her rights as a patient. Agreements must respect informed decisions about her body and care, and define what information is shared. The agreed limits help protect her privacy and autonomy.
- How to agree on communication with the gestational motherGood communication starts by agreeing on channels, frequency, topics, and limits. The goal is to accompany the pregnancy with respect, without making every day an obligation to report or replacing the medical team.
- How a gestational mother is evaluatedThe evaluation of a gestational mother considers health, pregnancy history, psychological well-being, and understanding of the process. Its goal is to assess risks and informed decisions; it does not eliminate all uncertainty or guarantee a complication-free pregnancy.
Pregnancy and Birth
- How to Prepare for BirthPreparing for birth involves coordinating care, communication, arrival of parents, and baby care. The estimated date is not an exact reservation. The plan should be adaptable if labor occurs early or additional care is needed.
- Risks of the process: what to discuss beforehandAssisted reproduction and pregnancy have risks, even if initial studies are favorable. Knowing the care plan, responsible parties, and coverage for unforeseen events helps prepare without assuming a complication will occur.
- Prenatal tests: detection is not diagnosisSome tests estimate the possibility of a condition; others seek to confirm it. A high-risk result is not a diagnosis in itself. The team must explain what was investigated, the limits, and the next step.
- What ultrasounds show during pregnancyUltrasounds allow observation of aspects of pregnancy and the baby's development. Each study has a different objective. An image or video does not replace the report nor rule out all health conditions.
- How the pregnancy is monitoredPrenatal monitoring includes consultations, check-ups, and tests to observe the health of the gestational mother and the baby's development. The schedule depends on the pregnancy. Parents can accompany with agreed information and questions to the team.
Legal and Procedures
- What It Means to Give Informed ConsentConsenting is not just signing. It is understanding what is proposed, why, what risks and alternatives exist, and what it means to accept or reject it. Each person consents to the decisions that pertain to them; a signature does not replace an explanation.
- Apostille, Legalization, and Document TranslationsA document to be used in another country may need an apostille or legalization and a translation accepted by the receiving authority. They are not interchangeable processes: they depend on the origin, destination, and type of document.
- Affiliation and Civil Registry: Two Concepts You Should UnderstandAffiliation is the legal bond between a child and their parents. The civil registry documents facts and relationships recognized by the authority. Providing genetic material or signing an agreement does not alone fulfill all requirements for international surrogacy.
- The Legal Path of Surrogacy in ColombiaA process in Colombia requires reviewing the current legal framework and the family's affiliation path. Judgments, contracts, and procedures serve different functions. If you live outside the country, the legislation of your residence also matters.
Costs and Timelines
- Payments: what to confirm and what documents to keepEach payment must have an identifiable concept, recipient, and backing. Keep budgets, invoices, and receipts. If the account or instructions change, confirm it through the usual channel before transferring.
- How to anticipate expenses not included in the planAnother transfer, new studies, additional care, or a longer stay can change the cost of the process. It is advisable to identify these scenarios and the available coverage before needing them.
- How long does a process take and why can it changeThere is no identical duration for all families. The timeline depends on evaluations, embryos, surrogate mother, treatment, pregnancy, and procedures. An estimate helps you organize; it should not be seen as a guaranteed birth date.
- How to Review a Surrogacy BudgetA useful budget separates included services, external expenses, payments by stage, and situations that may generate new costs. The initial price does not always represent the final cost. Request in writing what each item covers.
Journey and Return
- Transferring embryos between clinics or countriesTransferring embryos requires coordination between two laboratories for reception, identification, documentation, and specialized transport. Legal requirements must also be reviewed if there is a border. Specialized transport and coordination between centers are necessary.
- The baby's documents for travelingThe baby needs its own identity and travel documents. The list depends on nationality, parentage, destination, and companions. The civil registry, a passport, and an exit permit serve different functions.
- How to prepare for your arrival for the birthParents' arrival should consider that the birth may be advanced or change dates. Afterward, there will be baby care and procedures. The return is organized with medical and documentary conditions met, not just with a flight reservation.
- How to organize a trip for treatmentBefore traveling, confirm which part of the treatment requires your presence, what documents to bring, and how much margin you need. Clinical dates may change. Not all stages require parents to be in Colombia.
Emotional Support
- How to accompany the process from another countryBeing far away does not prevent participation. An agenda of updates, specific questions, and communication agreements helps follow the process without constantly asking for information or losing sight of the gestational mother's privacy.
- How to seek support in the face of loss or difficult resultsA negative result, a loss, or a significant change may require time and support. Medical explanations and emotional support address different needs. You don't have to decide on the next attempt immediately.
- The purpose of psychological support during the processPsychological support helps address decisions, expectations, uncertainty, and relationships during surrogacy. It is not just a response to a crisis. It can be individual, couple-based, or shared when agreed upon.
- How to cope with the wait for resultsThe wait between transfer and testing can cause anxiety. Having a date, a channel for information, and support helps organize those days. The symptoms of the gestational mother or your level of concern do not predict the outcome.
Donation and Family
- Thinking About Another Child After the First ProcessHaving preserved embryos may open future options but does not guarantee another birth. New planning needs to review available material, consents, health, costs, and legal pathways with updated information.
- How to Prepare the Conversation About Your Child's OriginThe family story may include donation and a gestational mother. Preparing it with clear words, preserved information, and respect for individuals helps convey the origin without confusing genetics, pregnancy, and upbringing.
- Sperm Donation: Important DecisionsUsing donated sperm is an option when the plan requires it. Before deciding, review evaluation, available information, consents, and legal effects. Selecting by traits does not allow you to choose in advance how the child will be.
- Egg donation: what you need to understandEgg donation allows the creation of embryos with eggs from a donor. In gestational surrogacy, the donor and the gestational mother fulfill different roles. The choice involves medical, genetic, legal, and family aspects.
That word is not written yet. Ask marIAna in the meantime.
Legal framework by country
If you live outside Colombia, you can check the legal questions to review for the recognition of your family and the baby's documents. The answer for your situation requires evaluation by a lawyer in your country.
Who writes this
Knowing the source, authorship, and review date can help you assess the information you read. If you have doubts about any content, you can discuss them with the team.
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It's signed by someone knowledgeable
The contents identify the professional who prepares or reviews them. You can consult that information and their area of work alongside the text.
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It has a visible review date
The review date indicates when the content was reviewed. If you need to confirm that information is still current, you can consult it with the relevant professional.
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No loose success rates
Result figures need context: what was measured, in what group, over what period, and from what source. You can ask about that data before relating it to your situation.
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This does not replace your consultation
Fertipedia offers general information. It can help you prepare questions; decisions for your case require discussion and evaluation by the professionals who assist you.
marIAna is available at any time. For anything that requires a conversation, schedule your call.
