Surrogacy Info

Our goal at SurrogacyInfo.com is to provide an informative website that gives you all the tools you need to begin your magical journey to parenthood.

Traditional vs. Gestational

There are two types of surrogacy - traditional and gestational. In a traditional surrogacy, the surrogate mother uses her own eggs to conceive a child with the intended father's sperm. In a gestational surrogacy, the surrogate mother is not biologically related to the child she's carrying. The child is conceived using eggs are either from the intended mother or an egg donor and the intended father's sperm.

Many factors contribute to the decision of using a traditional or gestational surrogate. The health and fertility of the intended mother play a big role in this decision. When the intended mother has been unable to achieve pregnancy on her own, doctors may perform many tests to determine the cause of infertility. If it is determined that the intended mother has viable eggs, but is unable to carry her baby to term, she may choose to use a gestational surrogate. This method would allow the intended mother to be biologically connected to the child. Typically, the medical expenses associated with gestational surrogacy are higher than traditional surrogacy because of additional services such as egg retrieval and in-vitro fertilization.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the intended mother's eggs are poor quality (sometimes due to advanced age or illness), the intended parents may choose to use a traditional surrogate. In traditional surrogacy, the intended father's sperm are used to artificially inseminate the surrogate mother. The expenses using this method are typically significantly less than gestational surrogacy.

Another consideration in deciding between gestational and traditional surrogacy is the legal code. Each state has its own governing laws regarding surrogacy. Click here to learn about the law in your state.

 

It's also important to consider your own values and beliefs. Many women believe they will bond with the baby regardless of its biological relationship. Others feel that they must be genetically related to their child.

Sometimes, an intended parents' eggs or sperm cannot be used to create their children. Some of these cases include advanced maternal age, illness, injury, single people and same sex couples. In these situations, parents are still able to have children through the miracle of surrogacy. Egg and sperm donors can be used to fertilize the available gamete from one of the intended parents.

If neither egg nor sperm are viable, some parents may consider embryo adoption. Although this is a relatively new practice, some states have laws that allow for embryo adoption. This is especially popular when more embryos are created than the intended parents wish to keep. Many parents don't want to destroy these potential children so they decide to put them up for adoption. Check out embryo adoption laws in your state.

So now that you've decided whether a traditional surrogate or a gestational surrogate will be better for you, how will you find her?

There are women all over the world who are eager to help you achieve your dreams of parenthood. Before you begin looking for your surrogate, there are many things to consider.

Where should she live?
If using a traditional surrogate, what physical, intellectual and emotional characteristics should she have?
Any special talents?
What values should she have?
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Will it cover surrogacy?
Do you want a relationship with the surrogate mother after your baby(ies) is born?
How many embryos will you want to transfer?
How do you feel about selective reduction or abortion?
Where will your baby(ies) be delivered?
Do you want the surrogate mother's breastmilk for your baby?
What fees/compensation are you prepared to pay?

These are just a few important questions to think about before you begin your search for your perfect surrogate mother.
Once you've decided which elements are important to you, it's time to look for your perfect match. There are several ways to begin the search. Agencies can be hired to help make the task of finding a match easier for the intended parents. Typically, an agency will require applications from both the intended parents and the surrogate mother. Clients must meet the agency's criteria before being accepted into their program. Fees for agencies' services range from $1,000 to more than $15,000.

Some parents choose to reduce their expenses by eliminating the agency and finding a surrogate mother on their own. Sometimes this is called "independent". With the help of SurrogacyInfo.com, you will have all the tools you need to make an independent surrogacy agreement and save the cost of an agency. There are many other ways to find surrogate mothers - classified ads, message boards, personal referrals, attorneys, obstetricians, reproductive endocrinologists and other infertility specialists. Many doctors can help you get in touch with a local attorney who has a pool of potential surrogates on hand.

Resouces for Finding a Surrogate Mother:

It's important to be sure you know your surrogate mother or intended parent. There are several companies that offer online background checks. Here are a few:

*UNDER CONSTRUCTION*

If you're looking for maternity insurance to cover the surrogate's pregnancy, check out a few plans that provide maternity benefits:

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