Surrogacy is often talked about as a beautiful and rewarding journey, but what happens when that journey takes an unexpected turn?

In this episode, Eloise Drane sits down with Pamela Marshall, a gestational surrogate whose experience challenged everything she thought she knew about pregnancy, risk, and resilience.

Pam shares her deeply personal story of entering surrogacy with excitement and confidence, only to face a rare and serious medical complication that changed the course of her pregnancy. From being hospitalized for weeks to navigating separation from her own children, her journey reveals the emotional and physical realities that many never see.

Pam explains what carried her through the hardest moments and why, despite everything, she would make the same decision again. This conversation offers an unfiltered look at the realities of surrogacy and the extraordinary people who choose to walk this path.

Guest Bio:

Pamela Marshall is a mom of 3 boys, living in Pennsylvania and she is a licensed social worker. She has been a surrogate and loves helping build families! She is also currently a journey manager at Family Inceptions.

You’ll hear about:

• Why Pam chose to become a surrogate
• What happens when a pregnancy becomes high risk
• Being hospitalized for weeks away from family
• The emotional toll of unexpected complications
• How support systems make all the difference
• Why she would still choose surrogacy again

Related episodes:

Ep 118 – Surrogacy and the Emotional Journey to Motherhood
https://thefertilitycafe.com/podcast/ep-118-surrogacy-and-the-emotional-journey-to-motherhood/

Ep 93 – U.S. Surrogacy for International Parents
https://thefertilitycafe.com/podcast/ep-93-u-s-surrogacy-for-international-parents/

Ep 85 – Surrogacy for Same-Sex Couples: Carnell Roberts Tells His Story
https://thefertilitycafe.com/podcast/ep-85-surrogacy-for-same-sex-couples-carnell-roberts-tells-his-story/

Ep 49 – Social Surrogacy
https://thefertilitycafe.com/podcast/ep-49-social-surrogacy/

Ep 37 – Husband’s Are You Prepared (Partner Involvement in Surrogacy)
https://thefertilitycafe.com/podcast/ep-37-husbands-are-you-prepared/

• (00:00:00) - Surrogacy: The Journey to Parenthood
• (00:01:26) - The Unfortunate Journey of Surrogacy
• (00:02:43) - Surrogacy in the US
• (00:04:30) - What Were You Hoping For Your Baby's Journey?
• (00:05:07) - The Secret To A Match
• (00:05:38) - The Matching Process For Your Baby
• (00:06:18) - The Process of Choosing an Agency
• (00:07:09) - The Surrogate's First Egg Transfer
• (00:08:28) - Pregnant Woman on Her First Week
• (00:09:04) - The Baby's First Anatomy Scan
• (00:10:39) - What Happened When I Learned I Had a High-Risk
• (00:16:18) - Baby's umbilical cord rupture forced me to be hospitalized from
• (00:21:33) - How Did Your Husband Manage the Surrogacy?
• (00:23:20) - How to Keep Yourself From Going Insane While In the Hospital
• (00:28:45) - Baby's birth disrupts parents' life
• (00:29:13) - C section for my first baby
• (00:34:23) - The Surrogacy Experience
• (00:36:52) - Having been a surrogate myself
• (00:37:44) - Pamela's story of surrogacy