Knowing the Surrogacy Process, as Viewed in a Surrogate’s Perspective

Every married couple dreams of raising children and starting a family. Yet, for some couples, conceiving a child is somewhat difficult, or even impossible. Thanks to new reproductive technologies, married couples can finally have a baby that they can call their own. One particular option you can consider is surrogacy.

Defining Gestational Surrogacy

While artificial insemination was the first form of surrogacy, parents can now opt for in vitro fertilization. This is the process of harvesting eggs from the mother, fertilizing them with the sperm from the father, and placing the embryo into the uterus of a gestational surrogate.

One particular benefit of IVF is that the surrogate mother will have no genetic ties to the child, given that her eggs weren’t used in forming the embryo. This made gestational surrogacy more appealing for parents. In fact, recent statistics show that about 750 babies are born from gestational surrogacy.

Finding Surrogates

Often, a family member or a friend will offer to be a surrogate. On the other hand, not all are willing to become a surrogate, thus some couples look for other means to find a surrogate. One particular way is through agencies that help intended parents find a matching surrogate.

Qualities of a Surrogate

As of now, there are no regulations on who can or can’t be a surrogate mother. Medical experts, however, determined a criterion for an ideal surrogate. Generally, women aged 21 years old and older who has already given birth to at least one healthy baby. Surrogate mothers are also required to have her own doctor while carrying the baby.

With the help of surrogates, married couples can now start a happy family they’ve always dreamed of.