Surrogacy can be a great option for couples who are struggling with infertility and the woman isn’t able to have a child. It is essential to understand the basics of surrogacy before you begin your journey. It is important to understand the legal implications of each type of surrogacy arrangement, as well as the details of the procedures. Read more?
You should also be able to understand the following in order to make your surrogacy journey smooth.
1) How to properly protect your rights
2) The potential costs of your surrogacy journey
3) The importance of getting the support and guidance that you need during your surrogacy journey.
What’s surrogacy?
Surrogacy refers to an arrangement in which a woman gives birth to a child through her own body. Surrogate mothers are the women who carry the child.
Surrogacy
Traditional surrogacy and gestational surrogacy are the two main types. Traditional surrogacy occurs when the surrogate mother gives her egg and the child is borne by the intended parents. Insemination with the surrogate mother’s sperm, or donor sperm, is possible. This is called intrauterine injection. Another option is to create embryos by in vitro fertilization (IVF), and then transfer one or more embryos into a surrogate mother’s body. Traditional surrogacy is where the surrogate mother and child are genetically related.
Gestational Surrogacy refers to the process where an embryo is created by IVF and then transferred into a surrogate mother’s body. This is the most popular type of surrogacy. Gestational surrogacy is when the surrogate mother does not have any genetic connection to the child.
Other arrangements for gestational surrogacy include using an egg from another woman (donor eggs) and/or using sperm from another man (donorsperm).
Protecting Your Rights
Surrogacy is a complex legal matter that can be complicated and specific to each state. It is essential that every party to your surrogacy arrangement has a competent attorney who is experienced in reproductive law. It is also important that your surrogacy arrangements are written down before the embryo is transferred to the surrogate mom.
A written agreement will not only protect your rights, but also the rights of the surrogate mom. It is crucial that each party understands and agrees to the terms of the agreement. Consider the following: the purpose of surrogacy arrangements, the place where the child will live, the dietary and selective reduction concerns, the expectations after the birth of a child, as well as the court procedures for putting the names of the intended parents on the birth certificate.