What is Surrogacy?

Surrogacy is an infertility treatment option available to couples who cannot conceive. It implicates a woman (the surrogate mother) carrying a child for another couple and ultimately terminates her parental rights to the child. There are two types of surrogacy: traditional surrogacy and gestational surrogacy.

Traditional Surrogacy: Traditional surrogacy indicates that the surrogate mother is also the child’s genetic mother because her own eggs have been fertilized. She may have undergone Intra Uterine Insemination (IUI) or a similar process using the intended father’s sperm or donor sperm (IUI with sperm donation). Traditional surrogacy is not as popular as gestational surrogacy. This is because of the legal complications surrounding it and the issues related to the connection between the surrogate and her genetic child.

Gestational Surrogacy: Gestational surrogacy involves the eggs and sperm of the intended parents which are fertilized before being transplanted into the surrogate’s uterus. The child that is born is the genetic offspring of the intended parents and not related to the surrogate in any way. Gestational surrogacy is a more expensive and complicated procedure involving IVF. A related procedure is surrogacy with egg donation and this requires donor eggs to be fertilized by the father’s sperm before implantation.

Altruistic VS Commercial Surrogacy: Surrogacy can be carried out with two main motivations: altruistic or commercial. With altruistic surrogacy, the surrogate selflessly carries the child without recompense. With commercial surrogacy, the surrogate is financially compensated for the process.

Good Candidates for Surrogacy

In some cases, the intended parents choose the surrogate while in other cases the surrogate chooses the intended parents. Agencies help to make a good match between everyone involved.

To be a Good Candidate for Surrogacy – Qualities of the Intended Parents:

· A woman who has had significant trouble conceiving a child or carrying the pregnancy to term

· A woman who has undergone a hysterectomy

· A woman with abnormalities in her uterus that prevent her from becoming pregnant

· A woman who is over 45 years old and unable to have her own child

· A woman with a disease that may lead to complications if she were to become pregnant (cardiovascular disease, renal disease, pelvic disorder)

· Couples with unexplained causes of infertility

· Gay couples wanting to have a child are also good candidates for surrogacy (gay surrogacy)

In some situations, a woman desires a child but does not want the experience of pregnancy for physical, emotional or career related reasons. This form of social surrogacy is accepted under certain circumstances but not in all situations. Each individual case will need to be examined in order to determine if you are a good candidate for surrogacy.

To be a Good Candidate for Surrogacy – Qualities of the Surrogate Mother:

· Prior Experience as a Surrogate

· Proven Fertility

· Fertile and not experiencing any difficulty in conceiving

· Emotional able to Detach

· A woman who has had children before is familiar with the physical and emotional aspects of being pregnant. In addition, having her own children to go back to after being a surrogate would help with the emotional attachment

Surrogacy Arrangements

Gestational carrier arrangements can be organized through agencies or negotiated privately. Intended parents can also proceed via independent adoption. As the laws regarding surrogacy vary significantly between states and countries, it is vital for individuals to do a lot of research beforehand and make sure you completely understand the technicalities involved with your unique situation.

Gestational surrogacy is one of the most expensive infertility treatments available to couples having difficulty conceiving. Insurance companies may cover part of the costs but most do not, which means that couples are typically overwhelmed with a financial burden. In countries such as the United States surrogacy can range from $50,000 to $100,000. This is beyond the means of most people and as a result they have started looking abroad for more affordable procedures. The cost of surrogacy in India and the Ukraine, for example, is significantly less.

Reasons Individuals turn to gestational surrogacy as a solution for their infertility varies considerably. The female may have uterine complications that prevent her from carrying a baby to term or she may have other health issues that prevent pregnancy. In some cases, IVF has simply not been successful for the couple and surrogacy is their last resort. To be considered a good candidate for surrogacy, you and your partner will be screened by the agency that you are going through. The surrogate mother will also be examined thoroughly before she is deemed suitable to carry a child. A number of important factors such as emotional and physical health will be taken into account.

The legalities of surrogacy are complex and controversial in many countries. In parts of the world, certain aspects of surrogacy are illegal. Legal issues are connected to both the procedure and subsequent parenting rights. Many couples choose to travel abroad for surrogacy because the law in certain countries is much more accommodating than in their home country. Agencies often have a lawyer on hand to explain the legal situation and the rights of each party involved. Surrogacy has a large grey area that needs to be negotiated carefully. Read more on surrogacy laws all over the world.

Increasing numbers of gay couples wanting to start their own families are turning to surrogacy. For gay men of surrogacy, one of the men provides sperm to the surrogate mother who can use her own eggs in traditional surrogacy or use donor eggs in gestational surrogacy. The surrogate carries the child and gives birth before giving up her rights. The legal issues surrounding gay surrogacy are even more complex than standard surrogacy. Not all infertility clinics offer options to gay couples. Some men choose a friend or relative (known surrogate) to carry their child while others choose an unknown surrogate.

Pregnancy Complications

Pregnancy comes with a number of associated risks.

· Surrogate mother has given birth without pregnancy related medical complications

· Surrogate mother has good general health and is not overweight

· Surrogate mother does not have any STD’s that could be transmitted to the child

· Surrogate mother has good mental health and is accepting of her unique situation

· Surrogate mother does not smoke, take drugs or drink excessively

· The age of the surrogate mother is between 21-40. Younger women are not considered mature enough to handle the process while older women are at a higher risk of complications

The Surrogate needs to be screened carefully for genetic disorders and other potential illnesses. She will need to have a strong medical background with no history of anything that could adversely affect the child.

Cost of Surrogacy

The cost of surrogacy can be frightening regardless of your unique situation. The cost of surrogacy abroad, however, is significantly more affordable.

The cost of surrogacy in countries such as the United States or the United Kingdom ranges from $50,000 to $100,000. Surrogacy can be very expensive and overwhelming. The cost of surrogacy abroad, however, is significantly less. In places such as surrogacy in India, Georgia or the Ukraine, a fraction of what you would do in US or Europe. Many couples are choosing to outsource this procedure because they can save on the cost of surrogacy without compromising on quality.

The cost of surrogacy varies significantly due to factors that vary considerably. Some of the things that you will have to take into account include:

Surrogate Mother’s Fee- Women who are surrogates for commercial reasons charge a fee for their services while women who are surrogates for altruistic reasons do not. The surrogate mother determines her own fee and this may increase depending on if she is carrying multiples, if she has to have a caesarean or if she has prior surrogacy experience.

General Surrogacy Expenses-There are a number of pregnancy expenses you may be asked to cover. These include: maternity clothing, lost wages, travel expenses, a life insurance policy to protect the surrogate and her family and supplemental health insurance.

Medical Expenses- Intended Parents pay for all the medical expenses relating to the surrogacy. These include: fertility medications, IVF with ICSI (microinjection) and egg and sperm preparation. If freezing needs to take place, you will also need to cover the costs of sperm freezing, egg (oocyte) freezing, embryo freezing and frozen embryo transfer cycle.

Agency Fees- If you choose to work with a surrogacy agency, you will be expected to pay their fees. An agency usually takes care of organizing every aspects of the surrogacy arrangement including the legalities. Keep in mind that not all agencies are open to gay surrogacy or are perhaps limited in their support.

Legal Fees- The laws concerning surrogacy change from location to location so you will want to hire a lawyer to help you negotiate them. There may be additional fees for paperwork and legal documents. Fees can be paid up front, once the child is born or throughout the pregnancy in installments. Clinics offering surrogacy have different policies so make sure you understand the surrogacy fees and payment schedules.

Gay Surrogacy

Many gay men in relationships desire families. Adoption can be a long, drawn out process denied to same sex couples. Adopted children have no genetic connection to either of the parents. Gay surrogacy, however, can help these men achieve their dreams of starting a family.

Surrogacy is when a woman carries the child of another couple and then terminates her parental rights once that child is born. In traditional surrogacy, the surrogate’s eggs are fertilized while in gestational surrogacy, donor eggs are fertilized. Surrogacy can be commercial (surrogate is paid for her services) or altruistic (surrogate is compensated for expenses).The fertilization process can be achieved through various means including intra uterine insemination (IUI) or IVF with ICSI (microinjection).

During gay surrogacy, one of the partners will provide the sperm that will be used to fertilize the donor or surrogate eggs. In some cases, both partners provide sperm samples that then fertilize two sets of eggs so each partner has an equal chance of becoming the biological father. The surrogacy laws are complex but gay surrogacy is an even more unique situation. This is because many states and countries do not recognize gay partnerships. As a result, gay couples have to explore alternative methods or scenarios in which they are able to continue with surrogacy. Some countries outside the US recognize gay partnerships and allow gay surrogacy. Gay surrogacy in India and Armenia are completely legal and offered by a variety of advanced IVF clinics.

Some clinics offer surrogacy to gay couples while others do not. Some surrogates may not wish to work with gay couples while others specifically request gay couples. There are a number of agencies that focus on helping gay couples every step of the way. They understand that this is a complicated process that is emotional and very stressful.

Sometimes one partner is the father of the first child and the other partner is the father of the second child. In a number of situations, a female family member donates her eggs so there can be a genetic connection between both parents.

Gay surrogacy is an exciting and rewarding process for everyone involved. To find out more surrogacy or surrogacy with egg donation, simply click on any of the related guides. You can also click on the clinics offering gay surrogacy to get a free quote or learn about the cost of surrogacy.

Source: FindSurrogateMother.com

Laws of Surrogacy

Surrogacy laws are difficult and complex, varying from between states as well as countries. Some places have laidback laws while others do not allow most aspects of surrogacy. There are certain issues surrounding surrogacy that are particularly controversial.

Gay surrogacy, for example, is unacceptable in some countries. Commercial surrogacy as opposed to altruistic surrogacy can also be frowned upon.

Most couples wanting another woman to bear their child will require the services of a lawyer to help them negotiate the legality of surrogacy. This will add to their total cost of surrogacy. A knowledgeable lawyer will be able to assist throughout their surrogacy journey, or travels abroad for this infertility treatment. In most countries, the legal assumption is as follows: the woman bearing a child is that child’s mother. As gestational surrogacy is concerned, the surrogate has no genetic relationship to the child. Where traditional surrogacy is concerned, the surrogate is related to the child because her own eggs have been fertilized. If surrogacy is allowed in the location that you are considering, you and your partner need to make your intended parental rights very clear from a legal point of view. This can be taken care of before the birth or immediately after.

The legalities of surrogacy in different countries are outlined below. A respectable and knowledgeable lawyer can give you additional technical aspects so that you are familiar within the laws of the country you have chosen.

Surrogacy Laws in Georgia
Surrogacy in Georgia is legal and affordable. This makes it a particularly attractive destination for infertile couples.

Surrogacy Laws in India
Surrogacy in India is legal and very reasonable. It is emerging as a prime destination for couples seeking surrogacy.

Surrogacy Laws in Ukraine
Surrogacy in Ukraine is permitted and affordable. Many couples who are unable to have their own children choose to travel to the Ukraine and employ the services of a surrogate. The laws surrounding surrogacy are very favorable there.

Surrogacy Laws in Mexico
Surrogacy in Mexico only allows women to be surrogate mother twice. Lawmakers in Mexico have passed a bill and approved legislation to allow women in Mexico City (capital district) to be surrogate mothers. The surrogacy procedure can only be carried with the authorization of the city’s Health Department; however the legislation is still pending Marcelo Ebrard’s signature, Mexico City’s mayor.

Surrogacy Laws in the United States
Surrogacy in the United States varies from state to state. Surrogacy in Florida and California are quite accommodating while it is illegal to hire a surrogate in New York. It would be best to find out more about the laws governing surrogacy in your state.

Surrogacy Laws in Greece
Surrogacy in Greece is technically legal. However, it is only limited to residents of Greece and you must obtain a legal permit from the Greek courts.