I think this is a GREAT subject for a show!!! I'm sure you will be surprised on how many couples would like to have children and can't for unseeable reasons. My situation is simply this. I have no uterus but I do have eggs. This is a show I will definetly be watching to learn more. Thank you Oprah for keeping us informed on so many aspects that you bring to the forefront. DALLAS, TEXAS

Hi - We twins have never had our OWN wombs

Don't waste your time watching this particular segment. My husband and I were at the taping and we were very disappointed with the contents of the show. We are a couple who have been trying to have a baby for 2 years. When we accepted tickets to this taping we knew that it was about infertility. We assumed that this would be a very informative show because this affects so many couples. Unfortanatly, we walked out of the show without any new knowledge of conceiving a baby. The first part of the show regarding the couple finding a surrogate mother was very heart-warming. However, we did not appreciate listening to Martha Stewart's daughter talk about her spending $28,000 per month on fertililty meds. That is great if she can afford to do it but a couple on a fixed income did not appreciate missing a day's work to hear about it.

Oconomowoc, WI

I'm was so glad to hear they finally did a show on this topic. But then I just read the last comment about it not being informative. I wish I could have shared my experience.

I was a surrogate for my sister who was diagnosed with breast cancer a second time. They knew this bout of treatments would leave her infertle. Before treatment they took her eggs out. After the embryos were frozen and thawed out to be implanted in me, only 3 of 4 survived and only 2 looked good. They put all 3 in me and against all odds 1 embryo took. My beautiful niece is 2 years old.

I don't want a pat on the back about how great it was for me to do such a wonderful thing for my sister. I would just love to inform other Moms that had no problems carrying their own. What a rewarding and amazing experience being a surrogate is. Since it was my sister, I did it out of love. But even if you don't know the person you carry for and get paid. It is the most precious gift you can give someone!! Almost everyone knows someone that is struggling with infertility. Just give it a thought!


Lisle, IL.

God Bless you for doing something so wonderful. We are not to that point yet but we were hoping for some new info or technology that would give us a more hopeful outlook for the future. They always have Dr. Oz on the show giving insights on health and things one could do having a healthier lifestyle. That is why we thought they would have a fertility specialist or doctor on the show to help better infertile couple's knowledge. As much as we enjoy hearing stories about couples who achieve their dream, couples like us need more facts and information to help us succeed.

I am a gestational surrogate and similar to a poster above, I became pregnant via IVF transfer and delivered a healthy baby boy in March 2007 for my intended parents. I am a long-standing member and moderator on the largest surrogacy/egg donation online community called Surrogate Mothers Online (SMO). We are all waiting with bated breath to view today's show; thus far, I can say that we are not very pleased with the angle the show seems to be taking with surrogacy and ART (assisted reproductive technology) procedures just from what we have seen on the commercials. There seems to be a negative tenor to the show that we are just not comfortable with.

It is our hope that one day soon, Oprah decides to inform about surrogacy and/or ART from a more general, wider perspective so that she can be of assistance to the greater audience, like the everyday, average couples above who hope to learn more about their options for becoming parents. US couples pursuing surrogacy in India is NOT a typical surrogacy journey; there are beautiful surrogacy stories right here in the US done everyday. Usually when the media latches on to surrogacy stories, they are the odd cases that end in custody disputes, the atypical journeys such as the ones featured on today's show, or the extraordinary cases such as mothers carrying their daughters' child/children. Those stories make up but a small fraction of the surrogacy journeys that take place everyday - the "average", but no less amazing and heartwarming stories that the public RARELY hears about in an informative, positive light.

SMO is a great resource to learn about surrogacy and ART both from the perspective of intended parents and women who are interested in becoming surrogates and/or egg donors. I invite those of you looking for solid, dependable information to join our message boards!

This is another example of the medical community playing "God." Doesn't anyone realize how these Indian women are being exploited as surrogates? We, as Americans, are so selfish and frivolous with our money, and we have no regard for the physical and mental health of these women who we are impregnating with our embryos. Martha Stewart's daughter is wrong--all women do not have the desire for children. In fact, many of us actually have a concern for the over-population problem in the world, and we do not selfishly desire to procreate while children waste away in poverty, and without families, throughout the world. Ever think about adopting?? Some things are just not meant to be--including pregnancy. Maybe if you spent less time feeding this unending denial, you could move on with your life and do something purposeful. All of this money spent toward infertility could be much better spent to provide for the less financially-fortunate in the world. I am ashamed to be a part of this selfish culture.

Everyone has made great points. Just becaue you (sometimes selfishly) want a child doesn't mean you are meant to have a biological child. I also, believe that parents to be should do whatever they can, but need to understand that they may not be meant to biologically have one. This does not mean they should not be parents... I believe everyone has a right to be a parent, but what is so wrong with adoption? and especially domestic adoption? I realize it is expensive... My brothers and I were adopted and my parents did what they could through IVF but instead of investing all their money into something that may not be, they decided to put that money toward something that would happen. Infertility does not just go away once you have a child. My mom still makes comments that she couldn't have children and it's very easy to tell that she is still sad that she couldn't biologically have children. It is partially because of this sadness that my mother has that I became an egg donor. Watching this show with Ms. Stewart reminded me of the meds I had to take to stimulate my eggs (and I'm only 22) in order to give parents another chance. Fortunately because my eggs and ovaries were still good, I didn't have to take all the drugs that most IVF mothers have to take, but I feel even more for those couples who can't get pregnant on their own. Ms. Stewart was right, women shouldn't wait so long to have children because the reality is, medicine isnt' a guarenteed fix...

organicmt, Did you adopt your own children? Probably not, so why are infertile couples always told, why don't you just adopt. There are soo many factors here. What if the Mother has a medical problem? 9 times out of 10 they will not let her adopt. I am a PROUD gestational Surrogate, I'm currently 10 weeks pregnant with my second surrogacy. I don't feel exploited or taken advantage of. I think you need to take more time to research what you "think" you are talking about, and learn more about the amazing world of surrogacy. SMO is a wonderful site to learn things about surrogacy, As is All About Surrogacy. I invite you to spend a little time with these wonderful women.

I am really excited to see todays show. My husband and I are both young, but we have been struggling with infertility for the past two years. We found out in January that our chances of having a child on our own are slim to none, due to male factor infertility. In July we decided we would move forward with IVF with ICSI - we used almost all of our savings to pay for the procedure and the medications - we paid $10,000 out of our pockets. We were told that since we are young, our outcome would MOST LIKELY be a pregnancy. On August 21st we had our pregnancy test, and it was NEGATIVE. We were lucky because of my age and the fertility medicines, we were able to freeze 16 embryos. Right now, I feel like I would like to adopt a child that needs parents, but my husband isn't ready to give up on us having our own biological child yet. We will probably do a FET (Frozen Embryo Transfer) soon. I'm just a little nervous still. We do have to pay $1700 every time we use our frozen embryos, so that is kind of hard. I know that someday, somehow, if it's in God's will, we WILL have a child (Biological or Adopted).

Hi Organicmt I couldn't agree with you more! If you are not able to have children of your own why not consider adopting children who have no parents regardless of their ethnic origins. These children desperately need love and support to grow into useful human beings. As far as Martha Stewart's daughter is concerned I feel totally disgusted to thnk that she is so selfish as to want a child at 42 and prepared to spend her mothers money to try and achieve this. $28,000 would feed a heck of a lot of homeless kids in Africa if she loves kids so much or even children who were orphaned in America and required homes. I hope she never gets it right because frankly with her values she is not fit to be a mother. Serenity

My name is Cheryl, and I was a surrogate for my sister Stacy and Brother in Law. Stacy was diagnosed with uterine cancer, and was unable to have children on her own. They did save an ovary during her hysterectomy. She was 34 at the time of diagnosis. This child is biologically their child, I just carried. My nephew is 4 months and 1 week old.:8} It is such an amazing experience, but always seems to show up in a negative light or a scam. There is a wonderful world full of women who are willing to help out another family and give them the child/children they want so badly. Is it that easy to adopt? Not always the case. It's also very easy for someone with no desire to have children, or people who already have children to say adopt. For the couples who want a biological child and can achieve that why should they be denied? I would do it again for my sister in a heartbeat. Stacy is truly a wonderful MOTHER, and her son is lucky to have her. I was honored to be a part of that.

I also belong to the SMO community,under the name SisterCherry, and I really wish there was a show that would allow us to bring our story, Intended Parents, and BEAUTIFUL BABIES on so people can see the remarkable stories of love, compassion, caring, and giving. If there is anyone out there that needs support during their journey SMO is a wealth of information. I would recommend it.

My hope is that one day very soon Oprah will do a show like I mentioned and show the positive light that is the majority in the world of surrogacy. Maybe we can call it WOMB OF LOVE!!

abnswife, You are fortunate to be able to be a surrogate by choice. When a woman truly has the choice to be a surrogate, it can be wonderful--I agree. However, for those poor women in India, it is strictly a financial choice and I think that's sad. I think any woman would rather have the choice about where to earn her salary; that is, whether to sell their bodies (for surrogacy, prostitution, organs--which to me are all related) or to earn her salary in a career-based profession. When there is choice, it is fair. When their is no other choice, it is exploitation. And before you ask the inevitable question, I'll answer it: Yes, they have the "choice" to continue to live in poverty, but that's not really a choice between two comparable outcomes...

I can't believe that you would put surrogacy and prostitution in the same catagory!! Just one more reason that we need to put the correct information out there so that people can become more educated. I really hope Oprah can help achieve this.

I'm no fertility expert, but the reason why so many 40+ coupes are able to have children is the use of donor eggs(no one will tell you that). I wonder if Alexis thought of that. After a certain age, conceiving (with or without help) is impossible due to defective eggs or lack of them. Remember the 60-something who recently became a new mother, she used donor eggs. Some people think that the use of donor eggs is taboo, but it would save a couple thousands of dollars that are shelled out on IVF only to miscarry due to defective eggs. IVF is expensive, it is even more financially devastating to go through cycle after cycle only to miscarry. I'm just adding my two cents here.