Recipient and Intended Parent Consultations
New England Fertility Counseling, PLLC provides psychoeducational consultations to recipient parents growing their families with the help of a donor and to intended parents growing their families with the help of a gestational carrier (“surrogate”). The goal of consultation is to provide guidance and support as you go through the process of donor-assisted conception/gestational surrogacy.
Recipient and intended parent psychoeducational consultations are typically 90 minutes long. The fee for this service is $450. This fee is inclusive of time spent preparing for the session, time spent in session, and time spent after session writing the letter. These sessions are not typically covered by insurance; however, you are welcome to submit a super bill to your insurance company to request out-of-network reimbursement.
After the appointment, Katie will write and fax a letter directly to your fertility clinic or fertility program. Katie will write and fax the letter within 24 hours (usually the same day of the appointment for daytime appointments and the next morning for evening appointments). In addition, Katie will share a customized resource list with the recipient/intended parents.
Example themes for individuals and couples pursuing parenthood with the help of donor sperm or donor eggs:
For egg donation specifically: fresh or frozen egg donation?
Selecting a sperm bank and selecting a sperm donor OR selecting an egg donation program and selecting an egg donor.
The needs and interests of donor-conceived people and resources to support your donor-conceived child.
How and when will you talk to your future child about how your family was formed?
How you will respond if your future child demonstrates interest in learning the donor’s identity?
Challenges to donor anonymity, especially in the age of social media and direct-to-consumer DNA testing.
The possibility of genetically related half-siblings (“donor siblings”) and the implications that go along with this.
Education about relevant laws in place to protect parentage, such as The Massachusetts Parentage Act (went into effect January 1, 2025).
Impact on intended parent(s) if treatment is unsuccessful (does not result in a pregnancy).
Support group recommendations, book recommendations about parenting a donor-conceived child, children’s book recommendations to aid with talking about the role of the donor, and helpful websites/readings
If it applies: reproductive stories, including history of infertility/pregnancy loss experienced by the intended parents and unprocessed grief that may be present, such as a sense of loss associated with having no genetic link to your child while your partner is able to have that genetic link.
If it applies: any concerns you may have about donor-assisted conception, such as concerns about your child’s wellbeing, bonding with your future child, feeling left out or not like a legitimate parent, social differences, family/cultural concerns, and concerns about how to talk to your child about being donor-conceived.
Example themes explored for individuals and couples pursuing parenthood with the help of a gestational carrier (“surrogate”):
Fears and concerns for the gestational carrier arrangement (also called a gestational surrogacy journey).
Preferences for pregnancy and labor/delivery, as well as medical decision-making.
Discussion of negative pregnancy outcomes that may occur, such as pregnancy loss, diagnosis of a fetal anomaly, and pregnancy termination and reduction and its potential impact on the intended parents.
Type of contact and frequency of contact would you like to have with your gestational carrier while she is pregnant, as well as after the birth of the child.
Creating a sense of closure for both the gestational carrier and intended parents after the baby is born.
When and how you will talk to your future child about how your family was formed? For example, how will the child be told about the unique circumstances of his/her/their birth? How will the role of the gestational carrier (GC) be explained? If the child desires to know their GC or have contact with them, will this be permitted?
Discussion of resources that may be helpful during the gestational surrogacy journey and beyond.
If it applies: reproductive stories, including history of infertility/pregnancy loss/family building efforts experienced by the intended parents and unprocessed grief that may be present.