Is there anything more painful than medication injections during a surrogacy journey? Yes! Three things that immediately come to my mind are: getting a tattoo, getting a piercing, and even having a bad hangover. If you’ve ever experienced any of the above, you know that they cause you pain for a short amount of time, but eventually, the pain goes away. The same applies to injections.

While in the process of becoming a gestational surrogate, you will be required to take medication directed by the IVF clinic in order to prepare your body for pregnancy. Because IVF pregnancy is not the same as natural pregnancy, medications need to be introduced to your body that developed naturally in your previous pregnancy(ies). Medication given to the gestational surrogate can be directed to be taken via vaginal or oral suppository, and/or by subcutaneous and intramuscular injections. 

The surrogacy agency nor the case manager will know what medication you will be given until the IVF doctor reviews your medical records, examines you during the medical screening, and works out an official cycle calendar for your embryo transfer. Not all IVF clinics prescribe injections as part of the medication routine but there is a very high chance that you will be injecting medications as part of your surrogacy journey. 

A Surrogate’s Experience and Some Helpful Tips

You may have felt that “eeek” feeling when you read “injections” and your eyes probably opened wide. But please, don’t panic. I am a second time surrogate, and for both journeys, I had to do the injections myself. For me, the main obstacle to overcome was not the pain of injecting myself but the psychological obstacle  of knowing that I had to poke myself with a pointy metal needle. But once I did that first injection myself, it became a smooth process and gained the confidence I needed to continue. 

I started to get into a routine of how to take the medication and when. Before I would inject, I warmed the medication vial by rolling it in between my hands to help it become easier to extract and to help for a smooth injection. After injecting, I would massage the injection site on my body for 30-60 seconds and then apply a warm pack to also help the liquid expand. I do not use anything to numb the injection site before injecting, but you definitely can! You can use an ice pack (or a frozen bag of vegetables from the freezer) to numb the area before injecting. Just make sure to clean the injection site well with an alcohol wipe before injecting. 

What to Expect and Additional Surrogate Support

You may experience some soreness, redness, itchiness, bruising, or bumps in the injection sites. If any of these happen, do not panic. Those will go away eventually. Trust me, I am one of those lucky ones that experienced everything! You can always reach out to your GSHC Surrogacy Agency case manager for some advice to help decrease these effects. Our agency staff is made up of a strong collection of experienced surrogates who can offer their personal advice on how to further help make the injection process more comfortable for you. 

Conclusion

Taking surrogacy medications via injection can cause a nervous feeling or sound scary, but don’t feel discouraged by needles. Remember, we are bigger than needles and we are doing this for an amazing reason… to help others achieve their dream of starting a family! If you have any questions or concerns about injections or any other aspect of becoming a surrogate, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at any time. Contact GSHC Surrogacy Agency.