A Surrogate's Journey | Ronda's 3rd Journey

What’s it really like to be a Surrogate? For the next year or so, we will be following Ronda through her third Surrogacy journey and answering questions you really want to know about!

Ronda first joined TeamFSC in 2013 and she was matched with a same sex couple from France. After delivering their twins, Ronda continues to have a wonderful relationship with her Intended Parents.

She had such a fantastic first experience that she decided to become a Surrogate again in 2015. This time, she was matched with a same-sex couple from Spain. Unfortunately, her first transfer was unsuccessful, but the second transfer resulted in the birth of a healthy baby girl! During her pregnancy, she and her Intended Parents agreed that they’d like to work together again for a sibling, so Ronda is currently beginning her third Surrogacy journey!

Ronda knew that she wanted to continue being involved in Surrogacy even after her days as an active surrogate were over, so a career with FSC was the perfect match.  As a Program Coordinator for Family Source, Ronda guides Surrogates and Intended Parents through their own journeys with a unique insight that only someone who’s experienced the journey could have.

We’re excited to share in this journey with Ronda, and with all of you!

Could you briefly introduce yourself and your family?

I have a wonderful family. My husband and I have been married for 2 years. Together we have 4 beautiful children (14, 13, 13 & 6). We also have 3 dogs (2 toy Schnauzers and a Miniature Pinscher). Our family is very involved with sports and activities and we are always on the go.

What made you decide to become a surrogate for the third time?

For my first journey, my IPs were considering doing a sibling journey. My husband and I were in agreement with that, but when they ended up having twins, that changed. We started our second journey expecting it to be our last, but 3/4 of the way through it, the IPs asked me to do their sibling journey. It didn’t take much time for us to decide that we would do the sibling journey for them.

Tell us a little about your IPs.

My IPs are amazing! They are super sweet and we are part of each other’s family now. They are always checking in on me and seeing how I’m feeling. Even though they can’t be with me because they live in Europe, they are always with me. I Skype with them often and for every OB appointment so that they are a part of it.

When you first read your IPs profile, what did you think?

I thought they were adorable. The love that they have for each other was evident in their descriptions of each other. They have a large family and wanted to have that for their selves.

What made you decide that they were “the ones”?

We really liked their story. Then when I Skyped with them for the match meeting it ended up being on one of their birthdays. Since I’m a number person, it was perfect. They told me how they had a picture of them from they day that they meet. There were several people getting together and they took a group picture. They have been together ever since.

Could you explain the steps of the psych screening process?

The psych screening is pretty simple. There is a long test that asks you many questions in regards to what you would or wouldn’t do. Some of the questions make you think and want to add more to your answer, but you are only allowed yes or no. One example is, “Would you ever kill someone?” If my family or my life was at stake, I would, but I could only answer yes or no.

The second half is with a psychologist who asks you a lot of questions. She also needs to know that you are familiar with the risks involved with doing this journey (loss of reproduction organs, death, etc.). The psychologist asks you lots of questions about your past, present, and future. She is the one who will approve, or deny, you from moving forward. This is the part that your husband is involved in as well. The psychologist wants to make sure that you are both aware of the situation.

Could you explain the steps of the medical screening process?

The medical screening is pretty easy. The clinic that I used needed both mine and my husband’s blood. They were testing for sexually transmitted diseases, antibodies to standard diseases, and vitamin counts. They also needed a saline sonogram from me. It’s similar to a pap smear, but they do an internal ultrasound to make sure that your uterus looks good. Then they spray saline into your uterus which is similar to what will happen for the transfer. (The doctor said I have a beautiful uterus!)

What’s the next step for you?

The next step for me is to complete the legal paperwork. My IPs attorney writes the contract and then sends it to my attorney. My attorney then reviews it with me, we make changes, and then send it back to their attorney. We eventually come to an agreement. Then we move on to the next step. The transfer!!!

How are you feeling? Excited? Nervous? Anxious?

I feel great about my journey so far. I am very excited about the transfer. I am nervous about starting the injectable medications though. I have done them many times, but it’s still nerve wracking since I have a medical issue with needles that causes me to faint if I am not laying down. But I’m ready to go and to be in my 3rd surrogacy pregnancy with my 4th (and possibly 5th) surrobaby!

Do you have a question for Ronda? Submit your question below!

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