EMMs Recommend Fertility Clinics

A mom with a relative ready to be a surrogate asked about fertility clinics.  As usual, the moms had lots of recommendations.

Fertility Associates of Memphis

• Paul Brezina at Fertility Associates of Mphs 
• Dr. Ke at Fertility Assoc. of Memphis helped us to conceive all 3 of our kids. Great experience.
• Ke and kutteh helped us but there are certain places who will work with surrogates and those who won’t so that’s the first thing you must ask
• Ke and Kutteh, my husband is an OB/GYN and he thinks very highly of them both!!
• I loved Dr. Kutteh (he’s very scientific and honest) and know the new Dr. Paul Brezina as well- he has firsthand experience with IVF in his own family. Highly recommend Fertility Associates of Memphis, call your regular OB/GYN first!
• His picture looks pretty scary but he’s very very sweet!  Dr. Kuttah! I bet she could just get an IUI  Those are only about $500 a try and they also have a finanical planner too… Get on getting an appt though because it is normally a 6 month wait to get in there! Good Luck!!
• We used Dr. Kutteh at Fertility Associates of Memphis for IVF.

Nashville Fertility Center

• Nashville Fertility Center helped us. It was very much worth the drive and time. Our doctor was Christine Whitworth. The kindness and personal care given can’t be out done!
• Like Charlotte Wiseman, we went to Nashville Fertility Center, & Dr. Whitworth was our doctor. Absolutely love the whole clinic!

A few other tips…

• I was a gestational surrogate (I had twin boys in 2010). The best place they can start with their search for information is www.surromomsonline.com.
• They need to research everything they can get their hands on, have a minimum of $250,000 put aside in a savings account (not for the surrogate, but for all the other odds & ends that can/will come up).  The medical part costs more than anything… the RE’s, prescription meds, ultrasounds, other screening tests, then the monitoring during each cycle, etc.  However, the $250k is mostly needed for the extra things that can/do come up during the pregnancy… there could be a job loss for anyone involved, the surrogate could end up with issues and require hospitalizations during/after the pregnancy, there could be legal issues that would come up that requires more attorney fees, etc. It doesn’t take long at all to add up. 
• Hire their attorney, have all medical & psychological testing (on their end) already finished, already have a relationship with their IVF clinic, and then start the process with their friend as the very last item to dive into. It isn’t just as simple as having a friend to volunteer to be their surrogate, unfortunately. Surrogacy is not the place where you can skip a single step or try to cut any corners, too many people’s lives are at stake. 
• Concur on the lawyer recommendations – especially getting one with surrogacy issue experience. Remember Murphy’s law – if it can go wrong, it probably will go wrong. Contact the State Bar Association and see if they have a listing of Attorneys for surrogate parenting issue. The other BIG thing that needs legal attention is to ensure that any insurance coverage actually does provide coverage for the surrogate and the baby. Good luck!
• You need to check with insurance carrier to see how surrogacy is covered in their policy. Ever policy is different. Make sure the attorney involved has read the insurance policies as well.