Most people think surrogacy is just finding someone to carry your baby. Reality check: from starting third-generation IVF in Shenzhen to delivery, you’re looking at minimum 8 stages. Miss one step and you’ve just pushed your entire cycle back 2-3 months.
Step One Isn’t Stimulation—It’s Legal Paperwork and Surrogate Screening
Before you even start the IVF cycle, lock down your agency agreement and set clear surrogate medical standards: endometrial thickness minimum 8mm, infectious disease panel negative, psychological evaluation passed. I’ve seen couples rush into stimulation, then their surrogate fails screening—5 embryos stuck in the freezer waiting for next cycle.
PGT Screening Takes 25-30 Days from Retrieval to Results
Day 5-6 after egg retrieval, you’ll get your blastocyst count. Then embryos go for PGT testing. Shenzhen labs typically deliver genetic screening reports in 10-14 days. During this window, your surrogate starts endometrial prep in parallel. The transfer happens 14 days later for beta HCG, but here’s what contracts don’t emphasize: most agencies only count “successful pregnancy” from week 12 when the fetus stabilizes.
Post-Transfer Responsibility Gaps Everyone Misses
Blood test at 14 days post-transfer checks HCG levels. Ultrasound at 28 days confirms fetal heartbeat. But the tricky part? Most surrogacy contracts define “successful pregnancy” as reaching 12 weeks with stable fetal development—not just a positive test. That’s a 10-week gap where responsibilities aren’t always clear in standard agreements.
Bottom line: work with licensed reproductive medical centers and understand the real timeline for each phase. That’s how you avoid the expensive detours.