Infertility Portal

11/09/2025

The Tragedy of Baby Leon: What It Teaches Us About Power and Protection in Surrogacy
The heartbreaking story of venture capitalist Cindy Bi and her stillborn son via surrogacy, known publicly as Baby Leon, has sparked an international debate about ethics, accountability, and protection in assisted reproduction.

In this case, a California surrogate tragically lost the pregnancy at 29 weeks due to a placental abruption. Instead of shared grief, the aftermath brought lawsuits, investigations, and a wave of public attacks. The devastated surrogate was doxxed, harassed, and forced to relocate. Bi responded with a public campaign in her child’s name, framing the tragedy as negligence rather than an unforeseeable medical loss.

This case forces us to confront uncomfortable truths:
Surrogates and agencies often face immense risks when intended parents with wealth, status, and legal resources use those advantages punitively.
How can we safeguard surrogates from retaliation while still providing intended parents with the compassion and support they deserve in times of grief?
Even those accustomed to controlling outcomes in their careers cannot control the deeply human, fragile, and unpredictable nature of pregnancy.

When intended parents wield money and influence to punish those around them, the result can be devastating. Surrogates and agencies suffer deeply when caught in the crosshairs of grief, anger, and blame.

As professionals, we must push for:
Transparent contracts that clearly protect all parties.
Mental health and legal support for surrogates and intended parents before, during, and after a pregnancy.
Compassionate, trauma-informed responses when a tragic loss occurs.
Industry-wide acknowledgment of the money and power gap, and proactive systems to prevent surrogates and agencies from being ruined by it.

Surrogacy is built on trust, care, and vulnerability. This case is a painful reminder that when those values are replaced by fear, blame, or imbalance, everyone suffers. Our industry must do more to level the scales of money and power so that surrogates and agencies are not left defenseless in moments of tragedy. One way forward is for professionals in this field to step up as expert witnesses and advocates, lending our knowledge and experience to ensure fair treatment and stronger protections.

By combining our expertise, we can strengthen this industry and build a framework rooted in compassion, accountability, and respect for everyone involved.

10/09/2025

For over 35 years, we’ve been at the heart of third-party reproduction - pioneering best practices, shaping legal precedents, and supporting families and professionals worldwide.

Now, we’re combining that legacy of expertise with innovative technology, designed with a human touch.

Our software streamlines processes, saves you money, and empowers you to deliver the most professional, efficient service possible - while never losing sight of the people at the center of it all.

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09/09/2025

Couples starting IVF often focus on creating life—but few think about what happens to frozen embryos if life takes an unexpected turn.

Divorce, separation, or the death of a partner can lead to painful and complicated disputes over embryo use. Courts are increasingly asked to decide these matters without clear guidance—unless the couple has documented their wishes in advance.
That’s why every couple should take time to discuss and record their intentions early in the IVF process.

We’ve created a simple, clear Embryo Disposition Agreement Questionnaire to help couples start that conversation. It’s not just a legal precaution—it’s an act of care and clarity.

Visit our website at

www.infertiltiyportal.com/blog-posting-disposition/

08/09/2025

It would be fair to say that in the field of Third Party Reproduction it can be an administratively complex business. You are also bound by strict regulations and data protection laws, let alone be forced to compete in an ever challenging environment.

Capitalizing on leads, surrogates, clients or donors demands an agile and responsive set-up. Gone are the days where you can solely rely on spreadsheets and post-it notes, now it is all about utilizing technology to give you that competitive advantage.
That's where we come in.

We have over 35 years of experience within the field & have used that knowledge to design a system that can not only manage the day to day operations of your agency or business, but can save you money AND enhance your reputation.

We cater for every size of business, whether it is a small ex-surrogate agency, right up to an international heavyweight. Our packages fit every size & budget.

The beauty of our sys, is that we don't charge you incessant monthly fees which increase with time. YOU will actually own it outright for a one off fee. It's also designed so that you can expand & flex as you grow, and we even give you tutorials on how to avoid ever needing to spend a single dollar more once you are up and running.

Fees for things like DocuSign, Dropbox, Cloud Storage, Accounting software or Marketing tools can become a thing of the past. We provide market leading alternatives for free within our platform - its all included in the price.

Are we market disruptors? You bet we are. Our ethos is to enable Third Party Reproduction to become available to everyone that wants it - and at an affordable price.

We pioneered the market over 35 years ago, and now wish to leave a lasting legacy. That's why we are proud to offer this innovative and cost effective solution to agencies of any size.

Want to know more?

It couldn't be easier. Just click on the link below and you can pick a free, no obligation demo at a time of your choosing. We don't do hard sells - we don't need to - it speaks for itself.
We guarantee it may be the best 30 minute investment you've ever made, & it costs you nothing.

https://infertilityportal.zohobookings.com/ #/karen-1h

Call now to connect with business.

07/09/2025

Give your agency an early Christmas present by upgrading to one of our exclusive software packages. Our system will literally revolutionize how you run your business, saving you both time and money in the process.

It couldn't be easier. We can map your existing system, processes and procedures into one integrated application which will make your life so much simpler. No more spreadsheets or manual records.

Existing software, including current market leading providers for egg donation and surrogacy agencies will seem out of date.

Depending upon the size of your agency we can have you up and running from as little as 3 months - and it will cost a fraction of typical CRM (Customer Relationship Management Systems). Our innovative ‘STEPS’ system is designed for you - by the founders of modern Third Party Reproduction.

Curious to know more? Just click on the link below and arrange a no obligation free demo. You’ll wonder why you didn't do it sooner!

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31/08/2025

Special thanks to Michael Johnson-Ellis, Co-founder of TwoDads UK & My Surrogacy Journey, for bringing this study to my attention.

A recent JAMA Network Open study from Ontario, Canada, reported higher rates of mental health diagnoses among gestational surrogates (6.9%) compared to women with unassisted conceptions (5.2%).

However, surrogates represented only 0.1% of the study population, with the remaining 99.9% being non-surrogates. Such an extreme imbalance makes the comparison fragile — just 10 additional cases in the surrogate group could meaningfully change the results, potentially erasing the reported difference.

The study’s stated objective was “to study the association between gestational carriage and new-onset mental illness.” If that were truly the aim, why limit the analysis to Ontario, where surrogates are such a small fraction of births? Expanding the dataset to include surrogates from other provinces, or even other countries, could have increased the sample size and improved the reliability of the findings.

It also appears the study did not examine how “new-onset mental illness” was coded. In surrogacy, attending one or two routine mental health evaluations or consultations is common and often billed under mental health codes. Under the study’s criteria, these visits could count as mental health cases even when no disorder was diagnosed, potentially inflating the surrogate group’s numbers without reflecting actual illness.

Other important factors the study did not address include:
Gestational carriers typically have more medical appointments and check-ins than other pregnant women, creating more opportunities for diagnoses to be recorded.
Surrogates may face complex legal obligations, emotionally sensitive relationships with intended parents, and, in altruistic systems, the absence of compensation despite the significant commitment. These stressors are unrelated to the medical course of the pregnancy but may still affect mental health.
Most surrogates undergo mental health evaluations before being approved and may have ongoing access to counseling. This exposure increases the likelihood that even mild symptoms will be recognized, reported, and documented.
If surrogates are older than the general pregnant population, their risk for conditions such as gestational diabetes and hypertension increases, both of which are associated with greater psychological strain.

Without addressing these methodological gaps, the findings risk overstating the link between surrogacy and mental health diagnoses and may reflect differences in monitoring, coding, and demographic profiles rather than true differences in mental health outcomes.

30/08/2025

Good grief… now what?!

This story was a hoax.

Curious about how people feel about this, I looked into some of the public reactions. And they’re deeply divided:

A Live Science poll found readers almost evenly split: about a third said they’d consider using such technology if it were safe, another third said it was unethical, and the rest weren’t sure. Some were fascinated by its potential to save lives, while others felt deeply uneasy about “replacing” pregnancy.
A UK survey revealed that Gen Z is far more open to the idea, with 42% supporting it compared to just 21% of the general population. But most said their support was tied specifically to medical need, like saving premature babies, not for convenience or elective use.

Would the development of an artificial womb be a groundbreaking innovation or science fiction come to life? Either way, science is advancing faster than my ability to imagine.

What do you think: bold progress, or an ethical minefield?

29/08/2025

It would be fair to say that in the field of Third Party Reproduction it can be an administratively complex business. You are also bound by strict regulations and data protection laws, let alone be forced to compete in an ever challenging environment.

Capitalizing on leads, surrogates, clients or donors demands an agile and responsive set-up. Gone are the days where you can solely rely on spreadsheets and post-it notes, now it is all about utilizing technology to give you that competitive advantage.
That's where we come in.

We have over 35 years of experience within the field & have used that knowledge to design a system that can not only manage the day to day operations of your agency or business, but can save you money AND enhance your reputation.

We cater for every size of business, whether it is a small ex-surrogate agency, right up to an international heavyweight. Our packages fit every size & budget.

The beauty of our CRM, is that we don't charge you incessant monthly fees which increase with time. YOU will actually own it outright for a one off fee. It's also designed so that you can expand & flex as you grow, and we even give you tutorials on how to avoid ever needing to spend a single dollar more once you are up and running.

Fees for things like DocuSign, Dropbox, Cloud Storage, Accounting software or Marketing tools can become a thing of the past. We provide market leading alternatives for free within our platform - its all included in the price.

Are we market disruptors? You bet we are. Our ethos is to enable Third Party Reproduction to become available to everyone that wants it - and at an affordable price.

We pioneered the market over 35 years ago, and now wish to leave a lasting legacy. That's why we are proud to offer this innovative and cost effective solution to agencies of any size.

Want to know more?

It couldn't be easier. Just click on the link below and you can pick a free, no obligation demo at a time of your choosing. We don't do hard sells - we don't need to - it speaks for itself.
We guarantee it may be the best 30 minute investment you've ever made, & it costs you nothing.

https://infertilityportal.zohobookings.com/ #/karen-1h

28/08/2025

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25/08/2025

Researchers are developing “artificial womb” systems — a form of ectogenesis (gestation happening entirely outside the body) — to give the tiniest, most vulnerable babies a better chance at survival.

Unlike incubators, these systems place an extremely premature baby (around 22–24 weeks gestation) into a warm, fluid-filled bag that mimics the mother’s womb. At this stage, the lungs are still fluid-filled and not yet ready to breathe air. Oxygen is delivered through the umbilical cord via a gentle pump, just like the placenta would.

This is not for babies born at 30+ weeks or full term — by then, the lungs are already prepared for air. Once a baby starts breathing, the lungs change in ways that can’t be reversed to a fetal state.

Leading development teams include:
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (USA) – EXTEND artificial womb system, tested on premature lambs. Vitara Biomedical in Philadelphia, which has since raised US$100 million to develop EXTEND
Juntendo University (Japan) – transparent “biobag” nurturing goat embryos.
University of Western Australia – perinatal life support research for extreme prematurity.

Right now, these systems are still in the animal testing stage. No artificial womb is yet in use for human infants, but human clinical trials for extremely premature babies may be only a few years away.

By keeping the lungs in their natural developmental environment for a few extra weeks, this approach reduces the risk of lung and brain damage that can occur when fragile lungs are forced to breathe air too soon.

The FDA is expected to meet later this year to consider clinical trials for artificial womb technology. Preterm birth remains a serious global health challenge, causing nearly one million infant deaths each year.

Every extra day in the womb makes a dramatic difference. Survival rates rise steeply between 23 and 24 weeks of gestation:

22 weeks: ~30%
23 weeks: ~55%
24 weeks: ~70%
25 weeks: ~80%

23/08/2025

Vietnamese authorities have shared positive updates about the 11 babies rescued from a commercial surrogacy operation. The scheme recruited Vietnamese women, sent them to China or Cambodia for embryo transfers, and then brought them back to Vietnam to give birth.

Now, each baby has undergone DNA testing and is in the legal process to confirm their biological parents. The goal is to reunite the babies with their families whenever possible, ensuring they are not made victims of unethical and illegal surrogacy practices.

Vietnamese law allows only humanitarian surrogacy and strictly bans commercial arrangements. These protections safeguard women, prevent trafficking, and uphold children’s rights. Under the 2016 Law on Children, every child must have their nationality, parents, ethnicity, and gender legally recognized.

Authorities also recognize that intended parents are sometimes misled into believing surrogacy in Vietnam is legal. Many may be innocent in these situations, having been deceived by agencies or intermediaries.

If a baby is confirmed to be a Vietnamese citizen, any transfer to foreign guardians must follow Vietnam’s adoption laws and, when applicable, the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption. If no biological parents are identified, or returning the child isn’t in their best interest, the baby will be cared for in a social protection center or Peace House until a safe, legal adoption is possible.

Vietnamese authorities are prioritizing the welfare of these children, working to reunite them with their biological families whenever possible. The goal is to ensure that neither the children nor the intended parents suffer further harm at the hands of unethical agents.

10/08/2025

In April 2021, police in northern Vietnam arrested two women for allegedly connecting intended parents and surrogates for commercial purposes.
Another raid on an illegal surrogacy ring took place in July 2025. Authorities found 11 babies, arrested three Chinese intended parents who had arrived to collect their newborns, and detained several recruiters and agency employees. These babies were taken into government care, and it remains uncertain whether they will remain in Vietnam or ultimately be permitted to leave the country with their foreign intended parents. No documented cases have been found of the babies from the 2021 raid ever being allowed to leave Vietnam.

Non-commercial, altruistic surrogacy is permitted under strict conditions:

Only residents are eligible
The surrogate must be related to the intended parents
The surrogate may only participate once
Intended parents must be a married couple or a single woman
Intended parents must be childless
A medical reason must exist for pursuing surrogacy

Commercial surrogacy is illegal, with criminal penalties ranging from three months to five years’ imprisonment for offenders, along with various fines.

Babies born in contravention of the law face uncertain futures and may never be placed with their intended parents or allowed to leave the country.