IVF DADDIES

In this episode, we interview Zach French, Vice President of SEEDTrust , an independent escrow company in the surrogacy industry. Zach shares his personal surrogacy journey and the challenges he faced, which led him to co-found the Gift of Surrogacy Foundation . He also discusses the need for more support and transparency in the surrogacy industry. Zach explains the role of SEED Trust as an indepe...

In this episode, we interviews Molly O'Brien, a renowned egg donor and surrogacy lawyer. Molly explains the importance of having a lawyer in the IVF process and how they provide independent guidance to intended parents. The conversation then delves into the importance of contracts through the egg donation process, including choosing a donor, setting up a trust account, and the medical and psyc...

This episode examines Black maternal health at the intersection of IVF, surrogacy, reproductive medicine, and public visibility. As high-profile Black women publicly navigate fertility treatment and family building, this conversation grounds the cultural moment in medical reality, structural risk, and historical context. We discuss why visibility alone does not equal safety, and why Black women—re...

Sheryl Homa is an HCPC registered Clinical Scientist with a special interest in male fertility. She obtained her degrees in Biochemistry at Imperial College of Science and Technology and the Middlesex Hospital Medical School.  She spent a large part of her career as an academic research scientist in the field of oocyte maturation, funded by the National Institutes of Health in the USA. For many ye...

This episode examines gestational surrogacy across three different systems—India, Canada, and the United States—and how legal frameworks, medical access, and emotional resilience shape the path to parenthood. We explore what the surrogacy process actually involves by comparing two surrogacy journeys undertaken in different countries, highlighting how laws, regulations, costs, and protections vary...

In today's episode you will discover the heartwarming story of the power of chosen family, and how our dear friend Matthew Brown @ukrules, shares his story on becoming a solo gay parent, and the wonderful story on how his friend Julien, decided to ask Matt to have the same egg donor, creating a wonderful extended family that no one could have ever imagine. Matthew is a wonderful man whom has a...

This episode examines egg donation, egg freezing, and IVF decision-making from a medical and biological perspective with a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist. We break down how egg donation actually works, what intended parents and donors are rarely told about female reproductive biology, and how eggs are evaluated, selected, and used in IVF treatment. The conversation addresses common m...

12 years ago, the ability to find quality information on egg donation was limited. And I had no idea what I was doing. I spent many hours going through endless profiles of egg donors from different agencies online. Each presented their donors in a different way. Making it very dehumanising and complicated to understand. Choosing my donor, were around costs, and type of relationship with the egg do...

This episode examines how IVF, surrogacy, embryo banking, and egg freezing collide with divorce, legal ownership, and unequal access to parenthood. We break down what happens to embryos and frozen eggs when relationships end, how reproductive decisions made during IVF carry long-term legal and emotional consequences, and why these issues are rarely explained clearly to intended parents before trea...

Here's the thing about miracles: they're expensive. Today, Richard talks about the financial side of his family-building journey, what costs you can expect, and how he found himself at an ex's ex's house in Arizona waiting for his babies to be born (it's complicated.)

All the tears, the flights, the meetings, and the contracts have been leading to this: the day when the surrogate learns that she is pregnant with not one, but TWO babies. In today's episode, Richard tells the story of the incredible moment that he found out that he was going to be a father, the experience of hearing two heartbeats on the ultrasound, and the unforgettable day that his children...

After choosing a surrogacy agency, Richard was told it would take about eight months to be matched with a potential surrogate. Just six weeks later, a fateful message arrived in his inbox. Was it too good to be true? In today's episode, you'll find out.

Once you have an embryo, you need somewhere to put it. Enter the surrogacy agency. In today's episode, Richard discusses the pros and cons of working with an agency to find a gestational carrier. He shares his top five criteria for selecting an agency, questions to ask your agency (and yourself!), and what you can expect when working with a surrogacy agency.

When Richard first dreamed of becoming a father, he thought about the joys of parenthood, the miracle of life, and the responsibility of raising good humans. What he hadn't dreamt of were all the legal contracts. Today, Richard walks through the legal processes involved in egg donation and surrogacy agreements. He shares what he learned about protecting himself, his family, and his surrogate w...

You knew this was coming. (No pun intended.) You can't make a baby without sperm—and providing it was the most uncomfortable moment of Richard's IVF journey. In today's episode he tells the entire sordid story, from pre-appointment manscaping to the waiting room walk of shame.

Confused by success rates? Richard was too. In today's episode, we break down what fertility clinic success rates can—and can't—tell you about the fertility journey ahead. Join us as we dive into how success rates are calculated, how much they really matter, and what questions to ask your clinic.

In the first season of IVF Daddies, Richard walks through his own path to fatherhood step by step. Every fertility journey is full of tough decisions, but it starts with the most important decision of all: am I ready to be a parent? In 2011, Richard Westoby decided that he was. This season is his firsthand account of how fatherhood went from a dream to a reality. We're here to tell you about i...

In the first season of IVF Daddies, Richard walks through his own path to fatherhood step by step. Every fertility journey is full of tough decisions, but it starts with the most important decision of all: am I ready to be a parent? In 2011, Richard Westoby decided that he was. This season is his firsthand account of how fatherhood went from a dream to a reality. We're here to tell you about i...

I am Richard Westerby, and welcome to the IVF Daddies podcast, where we discuss all things IVF and surrogacy. A disclaimer, I'm not a doctor, nor a lawyer. I'm just a dad who, 12 years ago, went through the surrogacy process to have my miracle twins. Since then, I have discovered my passion, which is helping others to create families. And providing optimism during their road to Parenthood.