Mexico City Edition - My Surrogacy Journey - The Podcast

Join us in this episode as we explore the legal representation surrogates themselves receive. There are a few important assessment that surrogates have to undertake, such as social and psychological, and so we discuss the need for them and more about them.

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Continuing from our discussion about surrogates in the last episode, we’re joined by Debbie Evans, Clinical Lead at MSJ and Dr Alex Leyva Resident Medical Officer - My Surrogacy Journey, to discuss what screening our surrogates receive, why and when. We’ll also talk in detail about the blood tests and cultures that are carried out and the major medical insurance that our surrogate members receive.

Debbie Evans – MSJ Clinical and Compliance Director

Debbie qualified as an RGN in 1985. She specialised for 25+ years on fertility management and previously worked with Herts & Essex Fertility Centre as Director of Nursing & Clinical Services, where she took ownership of the day-to-day clinical management of the Centre with Direct responsibility for 40+ members of staff. Her senior role did not change her approach or work ethos; she is as passionate about patient care as when she first joined the nursing profession.

Debbie was a founding member of SING (Senior Infertility Nurse Group) and held the positions of both secretary and Chair. SING was set up to support nurses in the fertility industry by providing peer support, guidance, and encouragement to its members, but it quickly became recognised as a major stakeholder within the industry, providing guidance on policy and practice.

She has now retired from Herts & Essex Fertility Centre and joined us here at My Surrogacy Journey at the beginning of January as Clinical & Compliance Director.

Dr Alejandro Leyva – RMO - MSJ

Dr Alejandro Leyva is a certified general practitioner from Mexico City with especial interest in obstetrics and reproductive medicine who carries out training in this specialty in addition to participate in conferences, articles and recognized courses in this area.

His values are based on empathy, human quality, ethics and diversity to bring a better understanding of this process and sharing his knowledge with clarity and love. Dr Leyva believes that medicine has achieved incredible things, and one of this is to fulfil the dreams of our patients and thousands of people who are in this path called surrogacy.

His main interests are to provide professional, emotional and medical support to his patients in an integrated way with warm and personalized attention.

This podcast was recorded at My Surrogacy Journey's Mexico City offices in Polanco, edited by Steve Randall and brought to you by Talulah and The Duke Productions

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you choose a surrogate in another country? Don’t worry, we’ve got you. In this episode we’ll talk about who a surrogate is in Mexico City, legal assessments, psychological evaluations and how we at MSJ support our surrogate members. We ensure safeguarding is in place, there compensation and expenses as well as the contract that is put in place between you and your surrogate. Another episode packed full of useful information.

Michael and Wes Johnson-Ellis

Michael and Wes Johnson-Ellis, Dads to two children via surrogacy with a Mexico City journey planned for 2024, and founders of My Surrogacy Journey They continue to help support and advocate for those needing surrogacy as a way to family build, whilst making sure surrogates that choose to help others do this by their own will - meeting strict social economic assessments as well as clinical, legal and additional social assessments designed to protect everyone. Their passion to set a new standard in Mexico is testament to work they do in public and behind the scenes, to make surrogacy understood and safer.

This podcast was recorded at My Surrogacy Journey's Mexico City offices in Polanco, edited by Steve Randall and brought to you by Talulah and The Duke Productions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we’re joined by Juliane Boutaleb from Parenthood In Mind, to discuss the psychological evaluation in more detail. Not only do we talk about why we do this and what’s involved, this podcast will help prepare you for the evaluation and explore all the elements that you need to think about when you’re ready to become a parent.

Julianne Boutaleb - Parenthood In Mind

Julianne is the Clinical Director and Founder of the Parenthood In Mind practice. She is a passionate and highly experienced perinatal psychologist who has worked for over 20 years in the NHS and private practice with parents and parents-to-be and their babies (and bumps) who have needed support with a wide variety of issues including anxiety and depression during and after pregnancy, miscarriage and reproductive loss, attachment issues, re-emergence of childhood issues and couples issues. Julianne is a member of the Birth Trauma Association and specialises in working therapeutically with birth trauma, PTSD and tokophobia (fear of giving birth) as they impact the mother, couple relationship and parent-infant attachment. In addition, she is also affiliated with BICA (British Infertility Counselling Association) and offers tailored psychological interventions for individuals and couples (including same sex couples) who are pregnant or are parenting following ART (IVF, ICSI, donor conception, surrogacy) or adoption.

This podcast was recorded at My Surrogacy Journey's UK office in Birmingham, edited by Steve Randall and brought to you by Talulah and The Duke Productions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You might find yourself thinking Mexico City seems like a good option for you, but it’s likely there’ll be niggles in the back of your mind about the legalities. We’re joined by Enrique Arcipreste Morales from Ayala Arcipreste Law firm to run you through the documentation, court processes, legal requirements and then the steps required to obtain your baby’s passport to return home. Enrique will provide you with an understanding of the steps required and reassurance.

Enrique Arcipreste Morales – Ayala Arcipreste

Enrique has undergone specialization courses in human rights, health, bioethics and bio law at the American University Washington College of Law, the Universidad del Rosario and the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

He has collaborated with different Mexican civil society organizations, such as Sin Fronteras I.A.P. and the Mexican Commission for the Defense and Promotion of Human Rights (CMDPDH), and international organizations including the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) as a specialist during the preparation of the National Report on the Exercise of Sexual and Reproductive Rights. Likewise, he has taught classes at the bachelor’s and master’s levels at the Ibero-American University and specialized courses on surrogacy to judges of the Superior Court of Justice of Mexico City.

This podcast was recorded at My Surrogacy Journey's Mexico City offices in Polanco, edited by Steve Randall and brought to you by Talulah and The Duke Productions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the options you have is to create your embryos in Mexico City. We’re joined by our own Clinical Lead, Debbie Evans, and Dr José Gutiérrez from Fertilidad Integral who is our doctor in Mexico City that would create them. During this episode we’ll discuss how the whole process works including how to choose an egg donor, how long it takes, clinic success rates and double embryo transfer. You’ll definitely learn a lot from this one!

Debbie Evans – MSJ Clinical and Compliance Director

Debbie qualified as an RGN in 1985. She specialised for 25+ years on fertility management and previously worked with Herts & Essex Fertility Centre as Director of Nursing & Clinical Services, where she took ownership of the day-to-day clinical management of the Centre with Direct responsibility for 40+ members of staff. Her senior role did not change her approach or work ethos; she is as passionate about patient care as when she first joined the nursing profession.

Debbie was a founding member of SING (Senior Infertility Nurse Group) and held the positions of both secretary and Chair. SING was set up to support nurses in the fertility industry by providing peer support, guidance, and encouragement to its members, but it quickly became recognised as a major stakeholder within the industry, providing guidance on policy and practice.

She has now retired from Herts & Essex Fertility Centre and joined us here at My Surrogacy Journey at the beginning of January as Clinical & Compliance Director.

Dr José Gutiérrez - Fertilidad Integral

For members importing their embryos into Mexico City we have created a partnership with Fertilidad Integral. An exceptional and word class fertility clinic with a holistic approach to care and wellbeing. Dr José Gutiérrez will manage all aspects of your treatment supported by his exceptional team of embryologists, nurses and nutritionist.

José is not only passionate about fertility and the coolest doctor, but also a true expert. He studied medicine at la salle, gynaecology and obstetrics at hospital Angeles lomas, and reproductive biology at hospital Angeles del pedregal. He has done medical residencies at the fertility centre of the Ku Leuven university hospital in Belgium, attended the reproductive medicine seminar at the open medical institute in Salzburg, Austria, and worked at the fertility clinic of the abc hospital.

He was invited to Merck’s fertility innovation leader program, one of the most internationally recognized pharmaceutical research and development companies. He is a member of several prestigious associations such as AMMR, ASRM and ESHRE.

In addition to practicing medicine, he participates in congresses, writes articles, and teaches several courses in  gynaecology and obstetrics. He works every day for a Mexico, where people know the diversity of options that exist to create life. His attention is always warm and personalised.

This podcast was recorded at My Surrogacy Journey's Mexico City offices in Polanco, edited by Steve Randall and brought to you by Talulah and The Duke Productions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you already have embryo’s or want to start the process in your home country you’ll likely be wondering ‘How does this work?’ and ‘How can you be sure your precious cargo is safe?’ In this episode we’re joined by Debbie Evans, Clinical and Compliance Lead at MSJ and Lucy Richardson, Lab and Quality Director at Herts and Essex Fertility Clinic to help you understand the process. Covering how the transportation takes place but also what regulations are in place, techniques for freezing and thawing as well as whether your embryo’s can be returned to the UK if need be.

Debbie Evans – MSJ Clinical and Compliance Director

Debbie qualified as an RGN in 1985. She specialised for 25+ years on fertility management and previously worked with Herts & Essex Fertility Centre as Director of Nursing & Clinical Services, where she took ownership of the day-to-day clinical management of the Centre with Direct responsibility for 40+ members of staff. Her senior role did not change her approach or work ethos; she is as passionate about patient care as when she first joined the nursing profession.

Debbie was a founding member of SING (Senior Infertility Nurse Group) and held the positions of both secretary and Chair. SING was set up to support nurses in the fertility industry by providing peer support, guidance, and encouragement to its members, but it quickly became recognised as a major stakeholder within the industry, providing guidance on policy and practice.

She has now retired from Herts & Essex Fertility Centre and joined us here at My Surrogacy Journey at the beginning of January as Clinical & Compliance Director

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Lucy Richardson BSc (Hons) PhD

Laboratory & Quality Director Herts and Essex Fertility Clinic

Lucy’s career began with an illustrious First Class degree in Anatomy and Developmental Biology from University College London in 2003, receiving the highest degree mark for that year. She won a BBSRC studentship to study for her PhD in Embryology at The University of Cambridge’s Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, where she investigated the origins of embryonic axis formation. One of her discoveries resulted in several scientific papers and presentations at national and international medical conferences.

She continued her clinical embryology training at a large central London clinic after which she moved to a privately run clinic in Kent before joining the Herts & Essex team as a Clinical Embryologist in 2013. In 2018 she was promoted to the position of Laboratory Director. In addition to her responsibilities within the laboratory, in December 2023, Lucy also took on the role of the Quality Director and Data Protection Officer following the restructuring of the Senior Management Team. Lucy is a Clinical Scientist registered with the Health and Care Professions Council and has been instrumental in training Embryologists via the ACE Certificate and more recently by acting as an assessor for the National School of Healthcare Science Scientific Training Programme. She has overseen Embryologists' successful applications for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council via The Association of Clinical Scientists and regularly volunteers as a scientific advisor for the charity Chana.

This podcast was recorded at My Surrogacy Journey's Mexico City offices in Polanco, edited by Steve Randall and brought to you by Talulah and The Duke Productions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Choosing an agency for your surrogacy journey is an important step, but you need to be careful of any red flags. Join Michael and Wes as they cover first and foremost what we mean by a red flag! But during this episode you’ll learn more about what to ask them, their team, the legalities and how you can be sure that they’re working in your best interest.

Michael and Wes Johnson-Ellis

Michael and Wes Johnson-Ellis, Dads to two children via surrogacy with a Mexico City journey planned for 2024, and founders of My Surrogacy Journey They continue to help support and advocate for those needing surrogacy as a way to family build, whilst making sure surrogates that choose to help others do this by their own will - meeting strict social economic assessments as well as clinical, legal and additional social assessments designed to protect everyone. Their passion to set a new standard in Mexico is testament to work they do in public and behind the scenes, to make surrogacy understood and safer.

This podcast was recorded at My Surrogacy Journey's Mexico City offices in Polanco, edited by Steve Randall and brought to you by Talulah and The Duke Productions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re joined by Debbie Evans, Clinical Director at My Surrogacy Journey and Dr José Gutiérrez from Fertilidad Integral, to discuss the process of starting stimulation in your home country (plus what this actually means!), as well as why people choose to do this and any risks involved.

Debbie Evans – MSJ Clinical and Compliance Director

Debbie qualified as an RGN in 1985. She specialised for 25+ years on fertility management and previously worked with Herts & Essex Fertility Centre as Director of Nursing & Clinical Services, where she took ownership of the day-to-day clinical management of the Centre with Direct responsibility for 40+ members of staff. Her senior role did not change her approach or work ethos; she is as passionate about patient care as when she first joined the nursing profession.

Debbie was a founding member of SING (Senior Infertility Nurse Group) and held the positions of both secretary and Chair. SING was set up to support nurses in the fertility industry by providing peer support,guidance, and encouragement to its members, but it quickly became recognised as a major stakeholder within the industry, providing guidance on policy and practice.

She has now retired from Herts & Essex Fertility Centre and joined us here at My Surrogacy Journey at the beginning of January as Clinical & Compliance Director.

Dr José Gutiérrez - Fertilidad Integral

For members importing their embryos into Mexico City we have created a partnership with Fertilidad Integral. An exceptional and word class fertility clinic with a holistic approach to care and wellbeing. Dr José Gutiérrez will manage all aspects of your treatment supported by his exceptional team of embryologists, nurses and nutritionist.

José is not only passionate about fertility and the coolest doctor, but also a true expert. He studied medicine at la salle, gynaecology and obstetrics at hospital Angeles lomas, and reproductive biology at hospital Angeles del pedregal. He has done medical residencies at the fertility centre of the Ku Leuven university hospital in Belgium, attended the reproductive medicine seminar at the open medical institute in Salzburg, Austria, and worked at the fertility clinic of the abc hospital.

He was invited to Merck’s fertility innovation leader program, one of the most internationally recognized pharmaceutical research and development companies. He is a member of several prestigious associations such as AMMR, ASRM and ESHRE.

In addition to practicing medicine, he participates in congresses, writes articles, and teaches several courses in  gynaecology and obstetrics. He works every day for a Mexico, where people know the diversity of options that exist to create life. His attention is always warm and personalised.

This podcast was recorded at My Surrogacy Journey's Mexico City offices in Polanco, edited by Steve Randall and brought to you by Talulah and The Duke Productions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the big questions when considering surrogacy is how long will it take. And when you’re considering international surrogacy, you also need to consider the logistics of that timescale – when and for how long you’ll need to be in country for example. In this episode, Wes and Michael discuss how long the journey takes from start to finish, while looking into the detail of each area, such as surrogate match time, the legal process and after the birth of your baby.

Michael and Wes Johnson-Ellis

Michael and Wes Johnson-Ellis, Dads to two children via surrogacy with a Mexico City journey planned for 2024, and founders of My Surrogacy Journey They continue to help support and advocate for those needing surrogacy as a way to family build, whilst making sure surrogates that choose to help others do this by their own will - meeting strict social economic assessments as well as clinical, legal and additional social assessments designed to protect everyone. Their passion to set a new standard in Mexico is testament to work they do in public and behind the scenes, to make surrogacy understood and safer.

This podcast was recorded at My Surrogacy Journey's Mexico City offices in Polanco, edited by Steve Randall and brought to you by Talulah and The Duke Productions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.