{"version":"1.0.0","segments":[{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":0.68,"endTime":3.11,"body":"Today we talk about the journey of"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":3.15,"endTime":6.038,"body":"surrogacy, what it means to build a family with"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":6.054,"endTime":7.81,"body":"the help of a surrogate."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":8.79,"endTime":11.64,"body":"I'm Doctor Mark Ammels and this"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":11.98,"endTime":14.84,"body":"is taco. About fertility Tuesday."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":28.12,"endTime":31.08,"body":"Welcome back to Taco Bout fertility Tuesday. I'm Doctor Mark"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":31.112,"endTime":33.896,"body":"Ammels. If you've been following along, you know we've been"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":33.92,"endTime":36.76,"body":"covering using donor eggs and sperm donors in our last"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":36.792,"endTime":39.496,"body":"couple of episodes. Today we're diving into another"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":39.56,"endTime":41.832,"body":"topic that's becoming more and more common in the world of"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":41.848,"endTime":44.768,"body":"fertility surrogacy. Whether"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":44.816,"endTime":47.8,"body":"due to medical conditions, family building options for"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":47.832,"endTime":49.884,"body":"same sex couples or other reasons,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":50.664,"endTime":53.346,"body":"surrogacy offers a path to parenthood"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":53.52,"endTime":55.918,"body":"to form many people who cant carry a pregnancy"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":55.966,"endTime":58.558,"body":"themselves. But its not a journey taken"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":58.606,"endTime":61.494,"body":"lightly and involves legal, emotional,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":61.654,"endTime":63.778,"body":"physical and financial considerations."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":64.558,"endTime":67.534,"body":"Today were really lucky to be joined by a surrogate who"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":67.566,"endTime":70.382,"body":"graciously agreed to share her personal experiences,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":70.51,"endTime":73.374,"body":"shedding light on surrogacy process and what its"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":73.406,"endTime":75.726,"body":"really like. Well discuss the role of the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":75.742,"endTime":78.286,"body":"surrogate, how theyre matched with the intended"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":78.342,"endTime":81.198,"body":"parenthood, the emotional journey and of course"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":81.358,"endTime":84.23,"body":"well answer some common questions and concerns. So lets"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":84.254,"endTime":87.054,"body":"get started. Well welcome back to another"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":87.126,"endTime":89.716,"body":"episode, the talk about fertility Tuesday. Im Doctor Mark"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":89.748,"endTime":92.716,"body":"Amos and if youve been following along, you know weve"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":92.748,"endTime":95.676,"body":"covered using donor eggs and sperm donors in our"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":95.708,"endTime":98.444,"body":"last couple of episodes. Today were"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":98.492,"endTime":101.34,"body":"diving into another topic thats becoming more and"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":101.38,"endTime":103.332,"body":"more common in the world of fertility"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":103.516,"endTime":106.186,"body":"surrogacy. Whether its due to"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":106.218,"endTime":109.186,"body":"medical conditions, family building options for"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":109.218,"endTime":112.034,"body":"same sex couples, or other reasons,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":112.162,"endTime":114.89,"body":"surrogacy offers a path to parenthood for many"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":114.93,"endTime":117.43,"body":"people who cant carry a pregnancy themselves."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":117.93,"endTime":120.642,"body":"But its not a journey taken lightly. It"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":120.666,"endTime":123.65,"body":"involves legal, emotional, physical"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":123.73,"endTime":126.618,"body":"and financial considerations. Today"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":126.674,"endTime":129.322,"body":"were lucky to be joined by a surrogate who"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":129.346,"endTime":131.69,"body":"graciously agreed to share her personal"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":131.77,"endTime":134.608,"body":"experiences, shedding light onto the surrogacy"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":134.664,"endTime":137.504,"body":"process and what it's really like. We'll discuss"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":137.552,"endTime":140.344,"body":"the role of the surrogates, how they're matched with"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":140.392,"endTime":143.272,"body":"intended parents, the emotional journey, and"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":143.296,"endTime":145.712,"body":"of course we'll answer some common questions and"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":145.736,"endTime":148.552,"body":"concerns. So let's get started. So the common"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":148.576,"endTime":151.136,"body":"term you may hear is surrogate"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":151.288,"endTime":154.0,"body":"or gestational surrogate. And"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":154.08,"endTime":157.0,"body":"there is a difference between what we call traditional surrogacy"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":157.12,"endTime":159.94,"body":"and gestational surrogacy. Traditional"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":159.98,"endTime":162.908,"body":"surrogacy really is not used much anymore and"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":162.924,"endTime":165.372,"body":"that essentially is where you are placing"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":165.436,"endTime":168.332,"body":"sperm into a woman who is going to carry the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":168.356,"endTime":170.6,"body":"baby but using her own eggs."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":170.9,"endTime":172.56,"body":"So for example,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":177.3,"endTime":179.596,"body":"let's say someone had severe egg"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":179.628,"endTime":182.524,"body":"quality and couldn't have a child of their own and"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":182.572,"endTime":185.31,"body":"had uterine problems. Their partner"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":185.39,"endTime":187.502,"body":"could, using donor"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":187.606,"endTime":190.25,"body":"sperm. Their partner could,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":190.63,"endTime":193.56,"body":"using frozen sperm, inject that sperm through a,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":193.528,"endTime":196.232,"body":"iuI, intrauterine. Their"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":196.28,"endTime":198.808,"body":"partner could, using frozen"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":198.848,"endTime":201.728,"body":"sperm, inject that sperm into the person's"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":201.768,"endTime":204.76,"body":"uterus like an IUI, which is an intrauterine"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":204.784,"endTime":207.744,"body":"insemination to form a pregnancy. And then"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":207.776,"endTime":210.636,"body":"she could carry that pregnancy to terminal, and then they"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":210.652,"endTime":213.372,"body":"can get their child. This is not a very"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":213.46,"endTime":215.448,"body":"common form of surrogacy."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":216.228,"endTime":218.932,"body":"The most common form is going to be a gestational"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":219.02,"endTime":221.98,"body":"surrogate. This is a surrogate who carries an"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":222.044,"endTime":224.9,"body":"embryo that has been created by, let's say, a couple,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":225.084,"endTime":227.644,"body":"which are the intended parents, and then that"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":227.676,"endTime":230.524,"body":"surrogate will carry that pregnancy but will have no"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":230.556,"endTime":233.54,"body":"genetic relationship to the baby that they're carrying. This"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":233.564,"endTime":235.924,"body":"is by far the most common cause of surrogacy used"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":235.956,"endTime":238.778,"body":"today. There are many reasons why someone may"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":238.818,"endTime":241.69,"body":"use a surrogate. One of the more uncommon reasons"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":241.754,"endTime":244.53,"body":"is because someone might be missing a uterus. There are some women"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":244.594,"endTime":247.074,"body":"born without a uterus. There are also some"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":247.106,"endTime":249.394,"body":"women who have undergone a"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":249.506,"endTime":252.21,"body":"delivery and had to have their uterus removed"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":252.274,"endTime":255.154,"body":"during the delivery due to hemorrhage. There are also medical"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":255.226,"endTime":258.09,"body":"reasons if someone is too dangerous for them to get pregnant, or"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":258.114,"endTime":261.108,"body":"maybe they have a history of, recurrent miscarriages."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":261.848,"endTime":264.78,"body":"Other times, there can be same sex male couples who"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":264.804,"endTime":267.46,"body":"want to build a family and will need a uterus to be able to build their"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":267.484,"endTime":270.364,"body":"family. Very similar to using donor eggs or donor"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":270.396,"endTime":273.268,"body":"sperm. Very few people don't want to"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":273.308,"endTime":276.164,"body":"use their own uterus. Matter of fact, many"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":276.196,"endTime":279.188,"body":"people hate the idea of having to use a surrogate, but it is the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":279.228,"endTime":282.044,"body":"only way they're going to be able to have a child. There are very"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":282.116,"endTime":284.764,"body":"few people who are using surrogates just because they don't want to be"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":284.796,"endTime":285.412,"body":"pregnant."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":285.54,"endTime":288.404,"body":"The next step is trying to find the surrogate. There are a couple"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":288.436,"endTime":290.66,"body":"ways you can do that. The first way is you can use an"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":290.684,"endTime":293.644,"body":"agency. This company has surrogates who are"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":293.676,"endTime":296.368,"body":"ready to go who will then help you"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":296.788,"endTime":299.58,"body":"in the surrogacy process. They will not only get you the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":299.604,"endTime":302.204,"body":"surrogate, but they will help you with a lot of the legal"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":302.236,"endTime":304.782,"body":"paperwork and, financial things that have to go with that."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":304.966,"endTime":307.494,"body":"On the other hand, you can use a personal"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":307.582,"endTime":310.534,"body":"surrogate. This would be someone who is a friend or a family member,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":310.662,"endTime":313.638,"body":"which obviously will reduce the financial cost, but it"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":313.654,"endTime":316.102,"body":"will also then put the burden on you to have the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":316.126,"endTime":318.716,"body":"contracts and everything else done that maybe the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":318.748,"endTime":321.716,"body":"agency would have done. Some clinics can do this"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":321.748,"endTime":324.556,"body":"in house, some clinics cannot. So some clinics are going to"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":324.588,"endTime":327.38,"body":"require you to use an agency, whereas"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":327.42,"endTime":330.276,"body":"other clinics, if they do this all in house, will not"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":330.308,"endTime":333.252,"body":"require that. Regardless, if you pick a circuit from"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":333.276,"endTime":335.8,"body":"an agency or someone who is a family member,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":336.58,"endTime":339.484,"body":"the criteria are still going to be the same. They're still going to have"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":339.492,"endTime":342.212,"body":"to go through psychological medical evaluations to"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":342.236,"endTime":344.958,"body":"determine if they're a good candidate. The difference is"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":345.054,"endTime":347.65,"body":"that if someone is using a family member,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":348.07,"endTime":350.542,"body":"there is some times that you will use a"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":350.566,"endTime":353.05,"body":"surrogate that you normally wouldn't pay for,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":353.67,"endTime":356.582,"body":"but you can still use them. For example,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":356.686,"endTime":359.67,"body":"when my wife was going to be a surrogate for my"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":359.83,"endTime":362.814,"body":"family member, she's not a great"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":362.862,"endTime":365.79,"body":"surrogate. She's had medical history. That's"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":365.83,"endTime":368.782,"body":"not great for pregnancies such as"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":368.886,"endTime":371.73,"body":"preterm labor and preeclampsia."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":372.03,"endTime":374.958,"body":"But in this situation was a family member. So"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":375.094,"endTime":377.55,"body":"we can look the other way in that situation, as long as it's not"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":377.59,"endTime":380.342,"body":"dangerous to the baby. Not everyone"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":380.406,"endTime":382.902,"body":"has the benefit of using a personal"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":383.086,"endTime":386.022,"body":"family member or friend. So in that situation, they"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":386.046,"endTime":388.702,"body":"use an agency. And if you're going to be paying a lot of money for"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":388.726,"endTime":391.582,"body":"that, you really want them to have no medical issues at"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":391.606,"endTime":394.086,"body":"all, especially when it comes to the pregnancy."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":394.238,"endTime":397.056,"body":"Interesting enough when, when it comes to using surrogate,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":397.128,"endTime":399.88,"body":"there are some states that are better than others. And one of the more"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":399.92,"endTime":402.592,"body":"interesting things is Texas has very good surrogacy"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":402.656,"endTime":405.552,"body":"laws and there are legal agreements that have"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":405.576,"endTime":408.304,"body":"to occur for many things, not"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":408.352,"endTime":411.328,"body":"just to make sure you have your parental rights, but there"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":411.344,"endTime":414.192,"body":"are special details that have to be done with the legal agreements,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":414.256,"endTime":416.816,"body":"financial agreements. So"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":417.008,"endTime":419.848,"body":"both sides of this, the surrogate and"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":419.864,"endTime":422.71,"body":"then tenant parents need to have some"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":422.75,"endTime":425.726,"body":"type of legal representation to protect"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":425.758,"endTime":428.742,"body":"their rights when going through this process. As"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":428.766,"endTime":431.558,"body":"I mentioned, some states are a little bit more friendly"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":431.614,"endTime":434.398,"body":"to surrogate see than other states."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":434.574,"endTime":437.446,"body":"Now, as I mentioned earlier, that the surrogate"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":437.478,"endTime":440.07,"body":"has to undergo some type of medical screening."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":440.23,"endTime":442.726,"body":"Well, so do the intended parents."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":442.918,"endTime":445.806,"body":"And the goal here is to make sure no one is"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":445.838,"endTime":448.798,"body":"going to be having any type of infectious diseases that they"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":448.814,"endTime":451.72,"body":"could be passing along. Whats interesting is"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":451.76,"endTime":454.704,"body":"not everyone knows theyre going to have to use a surrogate. So obviously, if"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":454.712,"endTime":457.048,"body":"you dont have a uterus, you know youre going to have to use a"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":457.064,"endTime":459.912,"body":"surrogate. So in that situation, from the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":459.936,"endTime":462.912,"body":"very beginning, when you make your embryos, youre going to make sure"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":462.936,"endTime":465.584,"body":"your embryos have been tested for all of the FDA"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":465.632,"endTime":468.256,"body":"requirements. So when you go to use a surrogate,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":468.368,"endTime":471.256,"body":"theres no waiver that has to be signed. However,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":471.368,"endTime":474.064,"body":"most people are not going to know theyre going to need a surrogate."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":474.192,"endTime":477.04,"body":"You could have situations where you lost your uterus or maybe youre just"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":477.08,"endTime":479.616,"body":"not getting pregnant with your own uterus or have had recurrent"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":479.648,"endTime":482.516,"body":"miscarriages and youre moving on to a surrogate. Well, at that"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":482.548,"endTime":485.0,"body":"point, you never planned on using a surrogate."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":485.38,"endTime":487.972,"body":"So all of the testing you did is not to the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":487.996,"endTime":490.868,"body":"requirements of the FDA. And for that"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":490.924,"endTime":493.476,"body":"reason, what happens is now they have to be tested"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":493.508,"endTime":496.508,"body":"again, not the embryos, but the intended parents,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":496.564,"endTime":499.036,"body":"to make sure they don't have any diseases that could"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":499.068,"endTime":501.292,"body":"potentially be affecting the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":501.316,"endTime":504.092,"body":"surrogate. These tests are very"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":504.156,"endTime":506.9,"body":"similar to maybe testing you did when you went through the IVF"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":506.94,"endTime":509.818,"body":"process, but they're a little bit more in depth on"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":509.834,"endTime":512.802,"body":"the surrogate side. You want to also make sure that their uterus is good,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":512.866,"endTime":515.098,"body":"so they want to undergo testing, such as a"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":515.114,"endTime":518.05,"body":"sonohistogram or hysteroscopy to make sure they"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":518.09,"endTime":520.914,"body":"have a ah, uterus. That's going to give you a good chance."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":521.082,"endTime":524.018,"body":"Now, when it comes to the embryo transfer, it's pretty"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":524.074,"endTime":526.922,"body":"standard now that only one embryo is transferred."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":527.066,"endTime":529.642,"body":"A lot of times people will also do genetic testing on their"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":529.666,"endTime":532.434,"body":"embryos, so they have a higher chance per transfer"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":532.482,"endTime":535.154,"body":"because you are paying this surrogate to do these"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":535.202,"endTime":538.202,"body":"transfers and so you don't want to spend a lot of money"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":538.266,"endTime":541.176,"body":"per transfer and then find out the embryos are not good"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":541.338,"endTime":544.292,"body":"and it costs you more money in the long run. So for the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":544.316,"endTime":547.276,"body":"transfer, it's pretty standard now to do one"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":547.308,"endTime":549.748,"body":"embryo at a time and to"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":549.804,"endTime":552.436,"body":"also have genetic testing on them."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":552.588,"endTime":555.412,"body":"Matter of fact, I was recently reviewing the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":555.436,"endTime":558.34,"body":"surrogate, and they actually had on their theme that they won't even"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":558.38,"endTime":561.196,"body":"allow embryos to be transferred into them if they're"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":561.228,"endTime":564.204,"body":"not genetically tested, which is quite unusual"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":564.252,"endTime":567.22,"body":"since that's how everyone else gets pregnant. They don't test their embryos"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":567.26,"endTime":569.928,"body":"when they're having intercourse. So I thought that was a little strange,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":569.984,"endTime":572.76,"body":"but it shows you that there really is a big trend"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":572.8,"endTime":575.696,"body":"going that way. Now, after the transfer, the surrogate"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":575.728,"endTime":578.728,"body":"will be monitored, and usually they'll communicate"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":578.824,"endTime":581.672,"body":"with the intended parents, who will then, you know,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":581.696,"endTime":584.1,"body":"tell them how certain pregnancy things are going"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":584.68,"endTime":587.472,"body":"at different scans, and they could even be there. Sometimes"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":587.536,"endTime":590.328,"body":"they'll even be at the clinic, you know, doing the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":590.344,"endTime":593.304,"body":"ultrasound. But the point is that it doesn't just"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":593.352,"endTime":596.222,"body":"end with the transfer. Throughout the whole process, throughout the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":596.246,"endTime":598.894,"body":"whole pregnancy, you will be talking to your"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":598.942,"endTime":601.75,"body":"surrogate, and then when it comes to the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":601.79,"endTime":604.262,"body":"birth, the same thing. You can be there for the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":604.286,"endTime":607.142,"body":"birth and most surrogates are going to be"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":607.166,"endTime":610.102,"body":"okay with you being there. But again, on that sheet, when I was"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":610.126,"endTime":613.078,"body":"looking at this surrogate, I noticed that there"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":613.094,"endTime":615.998,"body":"was the option for them to not have the intended parents in"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":616.014,"endTime":618.83,"body":"the room when birthing, which I don't think many"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":618.87,"endTime":621.696,"body":"would actually put that, but again, that"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":621.728,"endTime":624.48,"body":"is their choice. And that brings up the point"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":624.56,"endTime":627.56,"body":"of these contracts. The whole point of these legal"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":627.6,"endTime":630.576,"body":"contracts is to make sure everyone's on the same page."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":630.768,"endTime":633.48,"body":"In that same page, we want to make sure"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":633.64,"endTime":636.456,"body":"that the intended parents also have rights. And so"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":636.528,"endTime":639.528,"body":"usually what you do is you have a birthing plan, and that"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":639.544,"endTime":642.512,"body":"is to make sure that both the intended parent and the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":642.536,"endTime":645.104,"body":"surrogate are all in agreement when it comes to the birthing"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":645.152,"endTime":647.96,"body":"plan. Now, what's interesting is that even though you"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":647.992,"endTime":650.936,"body":"might have plans, it's always important to understand that"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":650.96,"endTime":653.8,"body":"a surrogate is always going to be"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":653.832,"endTime":656.8,"body":"more important than the baby. Now, what do I mean by"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":656.832,"endTime":659.72,"body":"that? What I'm saying is that if you"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":659.752,"endTime":662.68,"body":"have a baby in your body and let's say you get severe"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":662.712,"endTime":665.696,"body":"preeclampsia, you are allowed to legally make"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":665.72,"endTime":668.664,"body":"the choice to say, I'm willing to take risk to keep"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":668.704,"endTime":671.656,"body":"my baby in my body for a couple more days if it"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":671.68,"endTime":674.604,"body":"helps the baby. However, for the surrogate, you"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":674.644,"endTime":677.276,"body":"cannot ask that. As a matter of fact, that's what some of the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":677.3,"endTime":680.108,"body":"legal documents talk about, is that if the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":680.156,"endTime":682.532,"body":"mother is ever at any risk being the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":682.548,"endTime":685.22,"body":"surrogate, it would be important for them to deliver."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":685.412,"endTime":687.604,"body":"And that's something you have to agree upon, which"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":687.684,"endTime":690.556,"body":"obviously seems to make sense. I would agree with that. But"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":690.58,"endTime":693.58,"body":"again, it's just different when it's in your own body. The"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":693.612,"endTime":696.324,"body":"last thing before we get into this interview I want to talk"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":696.364,"endTime":698.938,"body":"about is financial. We know"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":698.986,"endTime":701.29,"body":"agencies can charge somewhere between $15 to"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":701.322,"endTime":704.074,"body":"$30,000. Surrogates can be anywhere"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":704.114,"endTime":706.618,"body":"between 35,000, can be up to"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":706.666,"endTime":708.802,"body":"50,000, sometimes even into the hundred"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":708.858,"endTime":711.73,"body":"thousands. And then there's legal fees, which can"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":711.762,"endTime":714.014,"body":"also cost you around ten to 15,000."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":714.594,"endTime":717.546,"body":"Then there's medical expenses, whether the person has to"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":717.57,"endTime":720.442,"body":"go and stay in the hospital the whole time. So that could"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":720.458,"endTime":723.33,"body":"be 20 to 40,000. There's also expenses. If they"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":723.362,"endTime":725.87,"body":"have to stop work, you have to pay for the work. When they're"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":725.902,"endTime":728.494,"body":"not able to go to work, there's"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":728.534,"endTime":731.214,"body":"insurance that you have to get for health insurance in case"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":731.334,"endTime":734.23,"body":"their insurance doesn't cover for the pregnancy. And so when you add"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":734.262,"endTime":736.95,"body":"this all up, most of the time it's"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":736.982,"endTime":739.838,"body":"somewhere between about 100,000 to 150,000."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":739.926,"endTime":742.862,"body":"If you were using a surrogate who"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":742.878,"endTime":745.79,"body":"is from an agency. Now, when using family members,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":745.902,"endTime":748.75,"body":"it can be much lower cost. And if that"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":748.782,"endTime":751.686,"body":"family member's insurance allows her to carry the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":751.71,"endTime":754.67,"body":"baby even though she's being a surrogate, then it"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":754.702,"endTime":757.486,"body":"also reduced cost them. In the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":757.51,"endTime":760.23,"body":"end, this is not a low cost"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":760.342,"endTime":763.326,"body":"option, and many people can do it."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":763.51,"endTime":766.454,"body":"It's important to know that there are some companies out there"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":766.494,"endTime":769.326,"body":"that do support surrogacy and even help pay for it."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":769.51,"endTime":772.222,"body":"And so if you are one of those people who potentially need to use a"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":772.238,"endTime":775.23,"body":"surrogate, look for those jobs and see if you can maybe"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":775.262,"endTime":778.182,"body":"get on those insurance plans. There's a lot more that"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":778.198,"endTime":781.08,"body":"I could, go over every little nuance, but I think the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":781.112,"endTime":784.07,"body":"best thing now is let's go to the interview, because I think at that"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":784.102,"endTime":786.742,"body":"point, you're getting to hear it from a surrogate themselves"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":786.838,"endTime":788.694,"body":"versus me explaining it."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":788.814,"endTime":791.592,"body":"Welcome to talk about fertility Tuesday. I'm excited"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":791.648,"endTime":794.472,"body":"to talk to you because we've been doing some episodes on things"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":794.528,"endTime":797.256,"body":"like donor eggs, we've been doing donor sperm,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":797.32,"endTime":800.272,"body":"and now we're going to be talking about surrogates. And I thought I"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":800.288,"endTime":803.136,"body":"could talk about it and I could tell everyone how to do"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":803.16,"endTime":806.12,"body":"it, but what would be better than hearing it"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":806.152,"endTime":808.768,"body":"from someone's mouth? And you have a very unique"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":808.816,"endTime":811.752,"body":"perspective, because what you may introduce to"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":811.768,"endTime":814.124,"body":"people is not only have you done this before, but"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":814.284,"endTime":817.26,"body":"you are also a fertility nurse. And"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":817.292,"endTime":820.26,"body":"I think that gives you a kind of view that other"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":820.292,"endTime":823.26,"body":"people wouldn't have. And so I wanted to first thank you for"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":823.292,"endTime":824.704,"body":"coming on the podcast."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":825.004,"endTime":827.796,"body":"Oh, no, definitely. Thank you for having me on"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":827.9,"endTime":830.7,"body":"your show. Doctor Emmels. This is definitely an"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":830.732,"endTime":831.22,"body":"honor."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":831.332,"endTime":834.26,"body":"So if you wanted to share a little bit about yourself and kind of what inspired"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":834.292,"endTime":835.624,"body":"you to become a surrogate?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":835.924,"endTime":838.644,"body":"I have been a surrogate. I'm on my third journey"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":838.684,"endTime":841.544,"body":"now. And, what initially"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":841.624,"endTime":844.004,"body":"inspired me to be a surrogate was"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":844.704,"endTime":847.704,"body":"my love of being a mom. It sounds"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":847.744,"endTime":850.444,"body":"corny, but that's what it was."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":850.944,"endTime":853.48,"body":"I love being a mom"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":853.632,"endTime":856.558,"body":"so very much, and, I'm almost"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":856.606,"endTime":859.094,"body":"starting to cry just talking about it now."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":859.214,"endTime":861.716,"body":"But, And after I had my"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":861.74,"endTime":864.38,"body":"son, I just felt that, like,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":864.532,"endTime":867.464,"body":"there are people out there who would be such"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":867.764,"endTime":870.648,"body":"amazing parents and love being a mom or"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":870.696,"endTime":872.844,"body":"dad as much as I do. And"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":873.584,"endTime":876.284,"body":"the fact that there are people out there that couldn't"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":876.664,"endTime":879.656,"body":"when there are so many people out there who can and"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":879.68,"endTime":882.584,"body":"are not good parents, it just hurt my heart."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":882.664,"endTime":885.502,"body":"So, I went on the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":885.678,"endTime":888.234,"body":"path to be a surrogate."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":888.894,"endTime":891.478,"body":"Was there something about being a surrogate was it that you liked"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":891.526,"endTime":894.406,"body":"pregnancy a lot, or was it, you know, is that what you mean? Like, you"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":894.43,"endTime":897.014,"body":"really enjoyed being pregnant as well?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":897.794,"endTime":900.69,"body":"Yeah. Pregnancy has always been really easy for"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":900.722,"endTime":903.538,"body":"me. I've been very lucky in the fact that my pregnancies"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":903.586,"endTime":906.57,"body":"always go very, very well without a lot of"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":906.642,"endTime":908.454,"body":"symptoms. And,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":909.724,"endTime":912.604,"body":"that was probably another one of the reasons why I took"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":912.644,"endTime":914.824,"body":"that path to be a surrogate"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":915.764,"endTime":918.196,"body":"was I enjoy pregnancy. Pregnancy is"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":918.22,"endTime":920.684,"body":"relatively easy for me, and I felt"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":920.724,"endTime":923.144,"body":"that I could help in that way."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":923.764,"endTime":926.692,"body":"And so the day that you figured out you wanted to be a surrogate, I"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":926.708,"endTime":929.676,"body":"mean, how did you know what the next step is?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":929.7,"endTime":932.532,"body":"Like, how did you say, like, you know, hey, I want to be a surrogate."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":932.668,"endTime":935.636,"body":"Where do I go next? Where do I sign up? Like, how did you"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":935.66,"endTime":936.664,"body":"figure that out?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":937.604,"endTime":940.524,"body":"A lot of Internet research. I was"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":940.564,"endTime":943.516,"body":"really lucky that I actually have a family member who's actually a"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":943.54,"endTime":946.476,"body":"surrogate as well, has been a surrogate as well. And she helped me"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":946.5,"endTime":949.324,"body":"point. Point me in the right direction. But, in the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":949.364,"endTime":951.852,"body":"end, it was a lot of, like, research"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":951.988,"endTime":954.428,"body":"on agencies and"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":954.596,"endTime":957.204,"body":"the time that it takes to"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":957.244,"endTime":960.14,"body":"actually do a cert, like a journey. It's not"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":960.172,"endTime":962.644,"body":"like I say I want to be a surrogate,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":962.724,"endTime":965.124,"body":"and the next day I go to the fertility"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":965.164,"endTime":965.904,"body":"clinic."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":966.524,"endTime":967.924,"body":"So it's weird."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":968.004,"endTime":970.922,"body":"There's not a lot of surrogates out there. I"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":970.938,"endTime":973.922,"body":"know this because I have patients who want to have a surrogate, and there's just not"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":973.938,"endTime":976.234,"body":"a plethora of people want to be"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":976.274,"endTime":979.178,"body":"surrogate. Is that you think. Because I know this is"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":979.186,"endTime":981.978,"body":"just your opinion, but is that because it's just so"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":982.026,"endTime":984.866,"body":"difficult to go through? I mean, again, I can't imagine doing anything for"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":984.89,"endTime":987.762,"body":"nine months, you know, that you have to just do."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":987.898,"endTime":990.898,"body":"But is it because of how much it"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":990.946,"endTime":993.73,"body":"is evolved or is it because there are obstacles that you"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":993.762,"endTime":996.746,"body":"felt when you were going through that could really stop people from wanting"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":996.77,"endTime":997.534,"body":"to do it?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":998.434,"endTime":1001.426,"body":"I think there's a mix. One, you have to"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1001.45,"endTime":1004.324,"body":"be the right type of person. Not every person"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1004.404,"endTime":1007.268,"body":"can hold a baby in their belly for nine"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1007.316,"endTime":1010.036,"body":"months and be able to give it to their parents. I"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1010.06,"endTime":1013.002,"body":"think, Ah, a lot of surrogates, you have"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1013.018,"endTime":1015.714,"body":"to have the right criteria. That sounds"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1015.794,"endTime":1018.494,"body":"silly, but, you have to have"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1018.534,"endTime":1020.822,"body":"already had a baby. You have to be"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1020.998,"endTime":1023.554,"body":"okay being done having babies."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1023.934,"endTime":1026.862,"body":"Like, if I had to have an emergency c section that"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1026.918,"endTime":1029.846,"body":"caused me to have a hysterectomy, I'd"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1029.87,"endTime":1031.514,"body":"be done. I couldn't have any more kids."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1032.174,"endTime":1034.804,"body":"So, you have to be okay"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1034.884,"endTime":1037.766,"body":"with, the time involved. you have"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1037.79,"endTime":1040.39,"body":"to have easy pregnancies. You can't have had"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1040.582,"endTime":1043.422,"body":"issues like gestational diabetes"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1043.478,"endTime":1044.834,"body":"or preeclampsia."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1045.974,"endTime":1048.114,"body":"So there's a lot of obstacles,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1048.814,"endTime":1051.67,"body":"and then I think there's a lot of people who maybe don't know about it."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1051.702,"endTime":1054.364,"body":"Too, when it comes to"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1055.064,"endTime":1058.026,"body":"the process. there's obviously a lot of testing that"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1058.05,"endTime":1059.094,"body":"has to be done."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1060.754,"endTime":1063.538,"body":"for example, obviously you have to have infectious"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1063.586,"endTime":1066.334,"body":"disease testing. There are,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1066.374,"endTime":1069.304,"body":"psychological evaluations that you and your partner need to go"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1069.344,"endTime":1072.164,"body":"through. talking specifically about that."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1072.504,"endTime":1074.484,"body":"How was that for you and your partner?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1075.344,"endTime":1077.656,"body":"I can understand as a partner going."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1077.72,"endTime":1078.768,"body":"Yeah, I'm okay if you go through it."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1078.776,"endTime":1080.718,"body":"But then they're like, wait, I have to be involved too."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1080.896,"endTime":1082.034,"body":"The partner is involved."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1082.074,"endTime":1084.97,"body":"I mean, there is part of that. How did your partner"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1085.002,"endTime":1087.586,"body":"take it when you wanted to be a surgeon? You told"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1087.61,"endTime":1089.17,"body":"them so."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1089.322,"endTime":1092.29,"body":"My husband has always been really, really supportive"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1092.322,"endTime":1094.364,"body":"of me, and,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1095.074,"endTime":1097.922,"body":"he is understanding of"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1098.018,"endTime":1100.746,"body":"the fact that he has to go through a lot too."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1100.81,"endTime":1103.706,"body":"Like, he has to have the blood tests, he"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1103.73,"endTime":1106.474,"body":"has to have the psyche vowels, he has to have all of"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1106.514,"endTime":1109.362,"body":"the interviews with me, he has to"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1109.538,"endTime":1111.934,"body":"meet the intended parents with me."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1113.454,"endTime":1116.414,"body":"a lot of agencies require that"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1116.534,"endTime":1118.994,"body":"the partner travels with you to"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1119.854,"endTime":1122.83,"body":"the fertility clinics, wherever"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1122.862,"endTime":1125.526,"body":"they may be, and for the transfers, as like, support"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1125.59,"endTime":1128.462,"body":"persons, so that you're not just going by yourself. So he has to"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1128.478,"endTime":1130.964,"body":"take time off of work. and"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1131.304,"endTime":1134.184,"body":"he knows my passion about"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1134.224,"endTime":1136.88,"body":"helping people, and so he's really supportive of"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1136.912,"endTime":1139.628,"body":"that. I mean, I can see how some other, other"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1139.676,"endTime":1142.184,"body":"partners may not be, though, right? Because"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1142.484,"endTime":1144.464,"body":"it's a lot on both sides."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1145.164,"endTime":1148.146,"body":"Was there anything, you know, I talked about earlier, in"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1148.17,"endTime":1149.106,"body":"this podcast about."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1149.21,"endTime":1150.65,"body":"Some of the medical screening that people."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1150.682,"endTime":1153.21,"body":"Have to go through, both the wife and the husband,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1153.362,"endTime":1155.976,"body":"and, for a partner in that situation"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1156.08,"endTime":1158.878,"body":"sometimes. but was there any part on the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1158.886,"endTime":1161.606,"body":"medical screen that you felt was difficult,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1161.67,"endTime":1164.598,"body":"that you felt like, I don't know why I want to do this, or did you feel it"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1164.606,"endTime":1167.154,"body":"was overall nothing too difficult to do?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1168.574,"endTime":1171.192,"body":"no. The medical screening has never been too"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1171.248,"endTime":1174.144,"body":"terrible. It's always been, they go"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1174.184,"endTime":1177.176,"body":"through all of my Ob GyN records, and"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1177.2,"endTime":1179.924,"body":"then I have, Usually I'll have an SHG,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1180.044,"endTime":1182.504,"body":"which some people can find uncomfortable, but"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1182.804,"endTime":1185.684,"body":"they've never really bothered me particularly. And then"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1185.804,"endTime":1188.664,"body":"we'll have to. Sometimes they'll do like a mock transfer,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1189.244,"endTime":1192.156,"body":"sometimes they'll do a mock cycle to watch your"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1192.18,"endTime":1195.17,"body":"lining grow. and they've never, it's never been too"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1195.202,"endTime":1197.782,"body":"terribly difficult, a little time consuming,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1197.838,"endTime":1199.334,"body":"but that's really about it."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1199.374,"endTime":1200.334,"body":"I'm not sure if you're aware, but."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1200.374,"endTime":1203.348,"body":"My wife and I, we were going to be a surrogate for my"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1203.396,"endTime":1206.32,"body":"sister, and, unfortunately, it didn't"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1206.352,"endTime":1209.084,"body":"work. We weren't ever able to be successful."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1209.514,"endTime":1212.386,"body":"but there were some emotional things that we had to"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1212.41,"endTime":1215.394,"body":"think about. For example, if"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1215.434,"endTime":1218.146,"body":"my wife was at danger, we would want to deliver"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1218.29,"endTime":1221.136,"body":"right away if possible. But if it was"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1221.16,"endTime":1224.058,"body":"my own kid, we may be willing to wait a little bit longer. We"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1224.066,"endTime":1226.85,"body":"may be able to say, hey, if we can give the kid two more"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1226.882,"endTime":1229.834,"body":"days. Whereas with my wife, I can't lose my wife just for someone"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1229.874,"endTime":1232.754,"body":"else. And we had to have that conversation with my"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1232.794,"endTime":1235.786,"body":"sister saying, please understand that we will do everything we"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1235.81,"endTime":1238.65,"body":"can, but there is a point where there's only so much"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1238.682,"endTime":1241.466,"body":"risk we can take. Does that conversation come up"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1241.49,"endTime":1243.914,"body":"between you and your partner and tenant"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1243.954,"endTime":1244.658,"body":"parents?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1244.826,"endTime":1247.65,"body":"It does, and it's part of the surrogacy"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1247.722,"endTime":1250.604,"body":"contract. So,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1251.394,"endTime":1253.854,"body":"when it comes to my health,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1254.314,"endTime":1257.234,"body":"it's gonna come first to"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1257.274,"endTime":1260.12,"body":"the point of, if it's, like, at risk, if"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1260.152,"endTime":1263.096,"body":"something is super, like, if this baby doesn't"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1263.12,"endTime":1266.072,"body":"come out right now, I might die. I'm gonna put myself"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1266.128,"endTime":1268.864,"body":"for it first, and everybody is okay with that, and it's"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1268.904,"endTime":1270.924,"body":"understanding of that. However,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1271.784,"endTime":1274.562,"body":"if there is time to give the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1274.578,"endTime":1277.082,"body":"baby time, then we're going to do that."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1277.178,"endTime":1277.818,"body":"When."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1277.986,"endTime":1280.746,"body":"When you were caring for the baby because"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1280.77,"endTime":1283.394,"body":"you've carried for your own, and now you're caring for someone"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1283.434,"endTime":1286.25,"body":"else's. I know you,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1286.282,"endTime":1288.586,"body":"so I don't think you probably did anything different."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1288.69,"endTime":1291.61,"body":"But was there a feeling, like, of doing something different?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1291.642,"endTime":1294.586,"body":"Like, you're like, well, it's not my kid, or. Or when you're caring for"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1294.61,"endTime":1297.146,"body":"someone else, is even the other way where you're like, this isn't my kid."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1297.17,"endTime":1298.494,"body":"I even have to do more."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1299.254,"endTime":1301.998,"body":"What did you feel in that situation when you're caring for someone"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1302.046,"endTime":1302.35,"body":"else?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1302.422,"endTime":1305.318,"body":"So I go above and beyond for both"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1305.406,"endTime":1308.114,"body":"my kids and my surrogate babies."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1308.634,"endTime":1311.104,"body":"but I definitely have this feeling of I have to do"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1311.144,"endTime":1313.564,"body":"more. It's not mine."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1315.024,"endTime":1317.976,"body":"so even when it comes to"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1318.04,"endTime":1320.244,"body":"Tylenol, I'll take."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1320.944,"endTime":1323.912,"body":"I won't even take Tylenol for a headache unless I have to,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1324.048,"endTime":1326.928,"body":"because it's not my baby. Right."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1327.016,"endTime":1329.92,"body":"So anything like that, that I'm"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1329.952,"endTime":1332.88,"body":"doing, like that is putting somebody else's child at"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1332.912,"endTime":1335.608,"body":"risk. And so I'm. I'm gonna go even"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1335.696,"endTime":1338.296,"body":"beyond what I would have done for my"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1338.32,"endTime":1340.288,"body":"own. Does that make sense?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1340.336,"endTime":1343.024,"body":"Absolutely. I mean, I wouldn't expect anything different from"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1343.064,"endTime":1346.006,"body":"you. I think that's probably. I think people go through"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1346.03,"endTime":1349.006,"body":"that conundrum, you know, of, like, hey, like, this"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1349.03,"endTime":1351.91,"body":"isn't my career, to do more, you know, like almost this feeling of"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1352.022,"endTime":1354.618,"body":"guilt if they don't, if they don't think well."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1354.786,"endTime":1355.722,"body":"And talking about them."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1355.778,"endTime":1358.722,"body":"Were there any emotional challenges that you had through the process and if"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1358.738,"endTime":1361.642,"body":"you did have them, how do you navigate those? I mean, when"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1361.658,"endTime":1362.658,"body":"you're going through this?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1362.786,"endTime":1365.652,"body":"So, you go into"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1365.748,"endTime":1368.304,"body":"the process knowing. Right."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1369.004,"endTime":1371.104,"body":"You know, that in the end,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1371.844,"endTime":1374.784,"body":"you deliver the baby and it goes to the parents."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1375.484,"endTime":1378.336,"body":"So, I think I said it earlier, it just kind of"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1378.36,"endTime":1380.976,"body":"takes a different type of person to be able to think that"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1381.0,"endTime":1381.564,"body":"way."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1382.094,"endTime":1383.194,"body":"Is it tough?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1383.774,"endTime":1386.608,"body":"I'm trying. for me, no, it's not"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1386.64,"endTime":1389.598,"body":"at all. I know I get this question"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1389.67,"endTime":1392.526,"body":"a lot. Honestly, the question I get the most,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1392.574,"endTime":1395.166,"body":"is it hard to give it up at the end? And,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1395.254,"endTime":1398.046,"body":"no, for me, it's not. I"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1398.134,"endTime":1400.838,"body":"love the day that the mom or the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1400.87,"endTime":1402.802,"body":"dad get to hold the baby."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1405.062,"endTime":1407.834,"body":"It just makes my heart so full."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1407.998,"endTime":1410.652,"body":"Was there any physical, challenges"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1411.072,"endTime":1413.92,"body":"being the surrogate, or was it pretty much just like your"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1413.936,"endTime":1414.932,"body":"other pregnancies?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1415.592,"endTime":1418.32,"body":"They've all been very similar to my other pregnancies."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1418.416,"endTime":1421.392,"body":"I think that if I had a lot of physical challenges,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1421.432,"endTime":1423.532,"body":"I probably wouldn't have been a surrogate again."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1424.632,"endTime":1427.632,"body":"One of the things I really want to go into, just a couple more things, is"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1427.752,"endTime":1430.744,"body":"kind of your relationship with intended parents. How did"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1430.768,"endTime":1433.408,"body":"you first connect with intended parents, and what was that"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1433.48,"endTime":1436.128,"body":"initial meeting like? Do you kind of interview"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1436.2,"endTime":1437.044,"body":"them just."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1437.068,"endTime":1438.66,"body":"Like they're interviewing you or, you know."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1438.676,"endTime":1441.012,"body":"I know the doctors. Like, in my case, I"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1441.092,"endTime":1444.004,"body":"interview the surrogates and decide"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1444.028,"endTime":1446.634,"body":"if they're good or not. in your situation, how did it go?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1446.698,"endTime":1449.328,"body":"So, all of the times that I've met my intended"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1449.4,"endTime":1450.812,"body":"parents has been,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1452.012,"endTime":1454.708,"body":"the agency will both send our"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1454.74,"endTime":1456.988,"body":"profiles to each other."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1457.02,"endTime":1457.188,"body":"Right."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1457.22,"endTime":1460.14,"body":"So I'll get their profile and they'll get my profile, and it"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1460.156,"endTime":1462.512,"body":"kind of goes off of our history, like"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1463.482,"endTime":1466.226,"body":"who we are, what we live, where we live,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1466.314,"endTime":1469.074,"body":"our hobbies, our likes, our dislikes, any"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1469.138,"endTime":1471.702,"body":"previous kids we might have, that kind of stuff."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1472.682,"endTime":1475.666,"body":"And then why we want to go on the journey we're going"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1475.714,"endTime":1478.402,"body":"on. And after we read the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1478.442,"endTime":1481.338,"body":"profile and decide that, yes, I do want to meet"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1481.37,"endTime":1484.154,"body":"this person, then we'll, they set up a"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1484.178,"endTime":1484.742,"body":"meeting."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1485.362,"endTime":1488.29,"body":"Things like boundaries and guidelines. Are those then set between"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1488.346,"endTime":1489.382,"body":"you and the parents?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1490.222,"endTime":1492.682,"body":"A lot of them, yes. You know,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1492.912,"endTime":1494.632,"body":"we'll discuss things like,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1495.852,"endTime":1498.512,"body":"what kind of contact do you want after birth"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1499.292,"endTime":1501.804,"body":"and stuff like that. And"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1501.948,"endTime":1504.836,"body":"if I wanted more contact than they"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1504.884,"endTime":1507.764,"body":"wanted me to have, you know, then they want to"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1507.788,"endTime":1510.152,"body":"have or whatever, then maybe we won't mesh well."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1510.652,"endTime":1513.324,"body":"What about communication during the pregnancy? I mean, is"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1513.348,"endTime":1515.964,"body":"there. Do you guys maintain that throughout when you go to"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1515.988,"endTime":1518.684,"body":"appointments or, you know, how are they getting the information? Is it"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1518.708,"endTime":1521.142,"body":"directly from you? Is it going from the clinic?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1521.142,"endTime":1524.028,"body":"so for the fertility part, they got a"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1524.052,"endTime":1526.42,"body":"lot of their information from the fertility"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1526.468,"endTime":1528.852,"body":"clinic, and, then me afterwards."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1529.392,"endTime":1532.384,"body":"But for the actual pregnancy part, I'll"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1532.408,"endTime":1535.392,"body":"go to my ob Gyn and then I'll tell them, you know,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1535.432,"endTime":1538.208,"body":"hey, this is what happened at this appointment, but they can"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1538.32,"endTime":1541.232,"body":"always, always, always go and ask"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1541.312,"endTime":1543.52,"body":"my ob gyn anything that they want."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1543.696,"endTime":1546.654,"body":"So, the whole pregnancy is open to that. My records are"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1546.678,"endTime":1547.222,"body":"open to them."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1547.262,"endTime":1550.032,"body":"So the last two areas I wanted to talk about"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1550.072,"endTime":1552.372,"body":"were, one, just the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1552.832,"endTime":1555.792,"body":"post birth experience that you had and how that is."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1555.832,"endTime":1558.696,"body":"And then the last part is just your own opinion, advice to people who."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1558.704,"endTime":1559.104,"body":"Want to do this."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1559.128,"endTime":1562.104,"body":"But if we can start first with what was it like"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1562.128,"endTime":1564.712,"body":"after giving birth and handing baby over to the intended"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1564.752,"endTime":1567.622,"body":"parents emotionally, it sounds like you really"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1567.662,"endTime":1569.642,"body":"enjoyed it. But what was that"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1570.502,"endTime":1573.478,"body":"transition then from carrying this baby the whole time to"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1573.51,"endTime":1576.362,"body":"nothing? And, you know, if you can kind of describe that for"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1576.402,"endTime":1576.982,"body":"us."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1577.182,"endTime":1580.1,"body":"so when you have your own"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1580.156,"endTime":1583.044,"body":"child, you know, you. You go to the hospital"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1583.148,"endTime":1585.532,"body":"and you have the baby and they put the baby on"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1585.572,"endTime":1588.332,"body":"you and, you know, you feed the baby"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1588.372,"endTime":1590.948,"body":"however you decide you were going to feed them, and,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1591.14,"endTime":1594.036,"body":"you know, you snuggle with them and you get to know them in your room"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1594.084,"endTime":1596.908,"body":"and all of that. When you're a surrogate,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1596.98,"endTime":1599.734,"body":"though, the bait, you know, the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1599.758,"endTime":1602.358,"body":"baby is born and they go to their little"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1602.43,"endTime":1605.27,"body":"incubator pod thing. I'm m sure it has a"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1605.286,"endTime":1608.198,"body":"name that I can't think of right now. And then the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1608.23,"endTime":1611.19,"body":"parents go there, and the funny thing"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1611.206,"endTime":1613.486,"body":"is, is my husband also goes there and he starts taking"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1613.534,"endTime":1616.382,"body":"pictures. So usually it's just"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1616.422,"endTime":1619.282,"body":"me and the doctor hanging out, chit chatting."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1619.942,"endTime":1622.554,"body":"but then, you know, I'll go to my own"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1622.728,"endTime":1625.494,"body":"recovery room, and the baby and the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1625.518,"endTime":1628.374,"body":"parents will go to their own little nesting room so that the baby"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1628.398,"endTime":1630.802,"body":"can continue to be monitored post birth."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1631.142,"endTime":1633.934,"body":"And for me, it's fine because"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1634.078,"endTime":1637.004,"body":"I know that, hey, this is what I was"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1637.028,"endTime":1637.832,"body":"going into."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1641.142,"endTime":1644.082,"body":"Emotionally, it's almost kind of"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1645.982,"endTime":1648.608,"body":"a relief to be done because"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1648.8,"endTime":1651.72,"body":"by the time you're 40 weeks pregnant,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1651.776,"endTime":1654.252,"body":"you're like, I just want this baby out of me."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1655.872,"endTime":1658.724,"body":"And then, it's like, it's also this,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1658.788,"endTime":1660.392,"body":"oh, I can finally sleep."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1661.852,"endTime":1664.686,"body":"And, I know that sounds silly, but that's how it is for"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1664.734,"endTime":1667.732,"body":"me. it's just this excitement that they"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1667.772,"endTime":1670.588,"body":"get to have their baby and I can"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1670.62,"endTime":1672.858,"body":"go about being myself again."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1673.02,"endTime":1675.486,"body":"What about the intended parents? How did they handle, I"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1675.494,"endTime":1678.326,"body":"mean, have you found since you've done this more than once?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1678.374,"endTime":1681.31,"body":"Like, do they handle it different to some, you know, it's kind of"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1681.326,"endTime":1683.918,"body":"like, oh, we're happy now, we'll take our baby and leave?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1683.99,"endTime":1686.984,"body":"Or is it more like, you know, no. Can we keep in"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1687.008,"endTime":1689.976,"body":"contact? How did that go in the different"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1690.024,"endTime":1690.368,"body":"experiences?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1690.4,"endTime":1693.344,"body":"So my m first intended parents, they stayed for"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1693.408,"endTime":1696.244,"body":"two weeks, and they came over and"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1696.268,"endTime":1698.946,"body":"they bring the baby over once in a while, because I"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1699.034,"endTime":1701.792,"body":"pump for them, so they come and"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1701.872,"endTime":1704.694,"body":"pick up the milk and, they would bring the baby over"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1704.758,"endTime":1707.534,"body":"and I'd be able to say hi and that kind of"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1707.558,"endTime":1709.962,"body":"stuff. And then when they left to go back home,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1711.672,"endTime":1714.268,"body":"I get pictures on her birthday, which is really fun for"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1714.3,"endTime":1717.036,"body":"me. And then my"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1717.084,"endTime":1719.884,"body":"second intended parents, they stayed for three"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1719.948,"endTime":1722.532,"body":"months, because I think that's just their culture."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1723.602,"endTime":1726.598,"body":"but I never got to meet her, after birth. And"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1726.63,"endTime":1728.842,"body":"then after they went home,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1729.532,"endTime":1732.188,"body":"I get a couple pictures once in a while, but"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1732.34,"endTime":1735.042,"body":"we don't have as close contact. And, it's a little"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1735.082,"endTime":1738.066,"body":"sad because I'd love to see how she's growing"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1738.114,"endTime":1740.946,"body":"up, but I also know that it's their"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1740.994,"endTime":1743.602,"body":"life and they're busy"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1743.682,"endTime":1746.298,"body":"and, you know, I'm sure she's"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1746.33,"endTime":1747.022,"body":"okay."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1747.442,"endTime":1750.298,"body":"I feel like it would be slightly different than, let's say, with donor"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1750.33,"endTime":1753.114,"body":"eggs because I know a lot of people struggle with the idea"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1753.138,"endTime":1755.752,"body":"of, do I tell my kid it wasn't my egg?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1755.912,"endTime":1757.664,"body":"But telling your kid you couldn't carry."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1757.688,"endTime":1760.648,"body":"A baby, you know, isn't something that anyone I feel like"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1760.68,"endTime":1763.6,"body":"would be ashamed of, just like"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1763.616,"endTime":1766.608,"body":"someone shouldn't be ashamed of getting a donor egg. But I know a lot of people struggle"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1766.64,"endTime":1769.504,"body":"with that. And so, yeah, it seems like most people wouldn't"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1769.528,"endTime":1772.216,"body":"mind letting their kid know, like, oh, this is the person. Where's the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1772.224,"endTime":1774.944,"body":"surrogate? Did you feel it was hard not knowing, you"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1774.968,"endTime":1777.294,"body":"know, not having as much, contact that time?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1777.318,"endTime":1777.574,"body":"Was that."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1777.598,"endTime":1778.374,"body":"Was that harder?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1778.478,"endTime":1781.44,"body":"I do. I do feel a little sad. I"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1781.456,"endTime":1784.4,"body":"wish I kind of gotten to say bye before she left for home"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1784.456,"endTime":1787.208,"body":"because she lives in China, but in the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1787.24,"endTime":1790.2,"body":"end, I mean, I know she's happy and I know her parents"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1790.336,"endTime":1791.392,"body":"adore her."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1791.552,"endTime":1794.536,"body":"There is a financial portion to this, right, other than if"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1794.544,"endTime":1796.872,"body":"it's a family member. When you are using a"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1796.912,"endTime":1799.76,"body":"surrogate and you're using an agency, there"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1799.776,"endTime":1801.972,"body":"is going to be a financial component, right?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1802.672,"endTime":1805.59,"body":"And there's financial components not just from the standpoint of,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1805.776,"endTime":1808.618,"body":"of paying the agency, paying for medical stuff,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1808.65,"endTime":1811.234,"body":"but even the surrogate usually will have some type of financial"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1811.338,"endTime":1814.218,"body":"benefit because, again, for nine months, they're going to buy"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1814.25,"endTime":1817.09,"body":"through this. And so I think what you said hit the nail on the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1817.106,"endTime":1819.778,"body":"head. People sometimes are"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1819.81,"endTime":1822.282,"body":"concerned that is this person just doing for money."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1822.362,"endTime":1825.142,"body":"And it sounds like what you're saying is that"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1825.682,"endTime":1828.562,"body":"no one would just do this for money because of all the work"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1828.602,"endTime":1830.482,"body":"they had to go through just to get to this point."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1830.602,"endTime":1831.662,"body":"Absolutely."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1832.482,"endTime":1835.482,"body":"what you're saying is that no one really would just do this just for the money."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1835.652,"endTime":1838.366,"body":"Absolutely. Absolutely. The, the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1838.414,"endTime":1841.334,"body":"time involved to even get to the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1841.358,"endTime":1844.122,"body":"point where you start getting paid is so much"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1844.422,"endTime":1847.15,"body":"that it would, the people"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1847.206,"endTime":1849.966,"body":"who, you know, probably did maybe start"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1850.014,"endTime":1852.958,"body":"out for it would have already"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1853.03,"endTime":1855.838,"body":"left. They would have been like, no, this is too much for me."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1855.95,"endTime":1858.862,"body":"That makes sense. Like I said, it's, it's something even I've thought"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1858.902,"endTime":1861.65,"body":"before. But you're right. I mean, everyone I meet,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1861.766,"endTime":1864.274,"body":"you know, they've been through a lot to get to this point."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1864.458,"endTime":1867.12,"body":"And, you know, my job as the"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1867.152,"endTime":1869.992,"body":"physician is just to make sure they're a good candidate, you know, that there"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1870.008,"endTime":1872.952,"body":"wasn't anything in their history that would make them a bad"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1873.008,"endTime":1875.514,"body":"surrogate. and, Yeah."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1875.554,"endTime":1878.426,"body":"Well, I really appreciate everything you've done here,"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1878.45,"endTime":1881.362,"body":"and talk to us. One last thing is just, is"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1881.378,"endTime":1881.554,"body":"there."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1881.594,"endTime":1883.106,"body":"Anything you want to say that maybe."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1883.13,"endTime":1885.89,"body":"I didn't ask do you think might be important for people knowing that we can leave"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1885.922,"endTime":1886.494,"body":"on?"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1887.964,"endTime":1890.916,"body":"I honestly think you touched on a lot of the points that I"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1890.94,"endTime":1893.852,"body":"get questions on almost all the time when I tell somebody that"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1893.868,"endTime":1896.46,"body":"I'm a surrogate. So I think you covered a lot of it. Doctor"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Surrogate Meghan","startTime":1896.492,"endTime":1897.184,"body":"Amos."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1897.524,"endTime":1900.252,"body":"Well, thanks so much, Megan. Well, I really appreciate it. Like I"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1900.268,"endTime":1903.242,"body":"said, the fact you've done this three times is amazing."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1903.298,"endTime":1906.034,"body":"I mean, I just donated my hair one"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1906.074,"endTime":1908.49,"body":"time, and I thought that was a lot of work for three"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1908.562,"endTime":1911.524,"body":"years, and so. And I'm, like, questioned by whether I want"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1911.532,"endTime":1914.508,"body":"to do that again. So the fact that you carried the baby three times, to"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1914.524,"endTime":1917.31,"body":"me, shows you how bad men are"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1917.35,"endTime":1920.222,"body":"at wanting to commit to something so long. So, which is"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1920.246,"endTime":1922.046,"body":"the reason why babies."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1922.198,"endTime":1925.118,"body":"I know this was a very long episode, and I usually don't make them."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1925.134,"endTime":1926.502,"body":"This long, but I thought it was."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1926.526,"endTime":1929.454,"body":"Such a great interview, and I wanted you to be able to hear"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1929.462,"endTime":1932.462,"body":"it, not just from my perspective, but also from"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1932.566,"endTime":1935.198,"body":"the surrogate perspective. I have some other"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1935.254,"endTime":1938.114,"body":"episodes coming up as well where I'm, interviewing people."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1938.218,"endTime":1941.09,"body":"And if you like this, let me know. You know, please send me"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1941.106,"endTime":1942.502,"body":"an email on TBF"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1945.852,"endTime":1948.78,"body":"or even through one of our pages. Let me know"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1948.876,"endTime":1951.628,"body":"and I'll try to do more of these. As always, I"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1951.66,"endTime":1954.628,"body":"greatly appreciate everyone that listens to the podcast. I hope"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1954.66,"endTime":1957.284,"body":"this was helpful for you and maybe you know someone else who may"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1957.308,"endTime":1959.712,"body":"benefit from it. So tell them about it."},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1960.012,"endTime":1962.932,"body":"But the main thing is, if you like us, tell everyone about"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1962.972,"endTime":1965.908,"body":"us. Give us a five star review on your favorite medium. But"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1965.94,"endTime":1968.862,"body":"most important, keep coming back to talk about"},{"speaker":"\u003e\u003e Dr. Mark Amols","startTime":1968.982,"endTime":1969.662,"body":"fertility Tuesday."}]}