Surrogacy is a legal agreement/ contract between the intended parents and the surrogate mother that will carry the child until birth. It is a process that is used by the couple when they want to start a family of their own but unable to do so on their own due to various factors. Surrogacy is not only aimed at couples that are struggling with infertility but also to single women, heterosexual couples and women that have had a hysterectomy procedure.
2 Types of surrogates:
Traditional surrogate – The surrogate’s egg is used and inseminated with the intended father’s sperm. The surrogate will carry and birth the baby for the intended parents to raise.
Gestational surrogate – The process of in vitro fertilization (IVF) is used and the intended parents create an embryo using their own/ donated eggs which is fertilized with the father’s sperm. The embryo is placed into the gestational surrogates womb.
The process of surrogacy:
The process is dependent on the type of surrogacy available. The process takes place through IVF which the intended parents undergo. The healthy embryo(s) are placed into the gestational surrogates womb where she then carries and delivers the baby. The second less common type is where the surrogate uses her own eggs which is fertilized with the sperm via intrauterine insemination.
Advantages of using a surrogate:
- Surrogacy completes the family of those struggling with infertility
- Increases the relationship and bond with the intended parents
- Surrogacy is a selfless act of bringing a new life into the world
- The parents are involved throughout the process
- Increase your chances of having a healthy baby
Tips to consider when choosing a surrogate:
- Does she have a family of her own?
- Age – is the surrogate younger than 40?
- Has she successfully carried a child to full-term?
- Medical history and lifestyle choices
- The type of relationship you want to have with your surrogate during and after birth
- The cost of the process
We know that the process of surrogacy is a selfless act by giving intended parents the greatest gift of life. Surrogacy is not always an easy process and can be physically and emotionally demanding however, it creates a special bond filled with cherishable memories between the intended parents and surrogate mother. When choosing the surrogacy route, couples always need to consider the pros and cons and need to be guided by an agency before making their final decision.
