The Baby “E” Story
The “N” family’s journey to start a family was an exciting time in their relationship — they entered into the journey with great hope for the family they wanted to create.
The Challenge
They began at the age of 35 (for those who are also on this journey, this is described as the “geriatric” fertility age). After months of trying on their own, the family obstetrician suggested meeting with a reproductive endocrinologist to see if a specialist could provide a more positive result. Both parents received glowing report cards for sperm count, motility, and egg reserve — the only negative was the presence of a few asymptotic uterine fibroids. Due to the age of the prospective parents, their doctor recommended IVF — a process of freezing a few embryos, having a procedure to remove the fibroids (myomectomy), and after healing for a time, proceeding with transferring the embryos.
The couple did exactly everything according to the doctor’s plan. The myomectomy was successful, but somehow, the prospective mother’s uterus developed so much scar tissue from the procedure that it required a second procedure to remove the scar tissue. The scar tissue formation was an unwelcome surprise — eventually, the prospective mother lost two-thirds of her uterus to scarring, and it was decided that she couldn’t physically carry a child. The couple knew that if they wanted to have a family, they needed a plan B — so they began researching surrogacy agencies.
Navigating the waters of surrogacy is not easy for most people — no matter how much research you do, it might feel like you still don’t understand it all. This is how the “N” family felt. Finding an agency and matching with a surrogate went relatively smoothly, but when they finally were at the point of needing to draft a Gestational Carrier Agreement (“GCA”), they realized they needed the help of an expert who specialized in fertility law.
The Solution
The couple was introduced to Katharine Hamilton, who provided exactly the expertise they needed. Katharine guided them through the GCA — she simplified the process, answered all their questions, clarified areas that they did not understand, and helped them navigate their surrogacy journey with confidence.
“Unless you’ve seen a GCA, you can't really comprehend how detailed the language is. The scope of the document is so comprehensive that it is difficult to decipher without true expert guidance. Throughout the process, Katharine was approachable and available — she always made time to put our concerns at ease. She also assisted us with our prebirth order, and provided us with all the necessary paperwork to successfully complete our surrogacy journey.
Ultimately, our journey to have a family was not an easy one. We had difficulties and hiccups and challenges along every step of the way. We all do research online, but no matter how much we googled, we weren’t going to have knowledge anything close to that of the doctors that treat us, or the attorneys that write these agreements and know the language of law. Without a doubt, having Katharine there to guide us legally was just the right decision for us. We now have a beautiful healthy baby girl and are certain that if we decide to have another baby again in the future via surrogacy, Katharine will be a part of that journey.”
— The “N” Family, Former Clients