When To Use A Gestational Surrogate
Many people dream of the day they’ll become a mommy or daddy. Unfortunately, not everyone is blessed with the equipment - or the ingredients - to make or carry a child.
For some people, it might be that certain parts of their body aren’t functioning as they should. Others might be missing a vital person or component in the baby-making equation. And sometimes, it’s just that the circumstances aren’t quite right.
Whatever the case may be, it certainly won’t change your mind about wanting to be a parent. A setback often makes you long for the pitter-patter of little feet even more.
That’s when it may be time to consider a gestational surrogate.
Family Source Consultants CEO, Staci Swiderski, says that thousands of individuals and couples today face a variety of issues that can affect their ability to have a family but can find a solution through surrogacy.
As a former Intended Parent and a known egg donor herself, Staci knows firsthand the joy that having a child via surrogacy has brought to her and her family.
“Surrogacy allows intended parents to be involved from the very beginning,” she says. “The intended parents can join their surrogate at regular check-ups, be present at ultrasounds, and in many “journeys’, such as ours, be present for the birth of their child to witness his or her very first cry”.
Who are “intended parents”?
Intended parents are individuals or couples who choose to have a child via surrogacy.
While there are no ‘typical’ intended parents, they all share one wish: to have a baby.
Because everyone’s circumstances are different, there’s no specific time that someone may choose surrogacy. Of course, it might not be the first option that couples or individuals look to when they can’t bear children themselves. This is understandable. The dream of having a child yourself is a powerful one. It’s why some people might spend years - and thousands of dollars - trying other methods to achieve pregnancy through methods such as in vitro fertilization. It’s often only after multiple rounds of IVF or fertility treatments have failed that a couple will move onto surrogacy.
Surrogacy is also a wonderful family building option for LGBT individuals or couples.
Types of surrogacy
There are two types of surrogacy: gestational and traditional.
With gestational surrogacy, a surrogate carries a pregnancy that was created with an egg and sperm from each of the intended parents, or a donor. This means the gestational surrogate (often referred to as gestational carrier) shares no genetic material at all with the child that she is carrying.
With traditional surrogacy, the surrogate utilizes her own eggs to be artificially inseminated with the intended father's sperm (or sperm donor). This means she is the baby's biological mother.
Gestational surrogacy is certainly the preferred option, and the only option available through Family Source Consultants. It’s estimated that more than 750 babies are born each year through gestational surrogacy arrangements.
Why choose to use a gestational surrogate?
You may be surprised to learn just how many reasons there are for choosing surrogacy.
If you desire to have a child and any of the below reasons apply to you, you may choose to consider using a gestational surrogate to build your family.
You or your partner are infertile
Infertility affects approximately 1 in 8 couples in the United States – that is about 6.7 million people each year who have difficulty conceiving. Although this means infertility is common, it’s no less painful. In many cases, women who have been affected by endometriosis or other uterine issues may have difficulties falling pregnant. Congenital abnormalities in a woman’s reproductive system may make pregnancy difficult or impossible. Sometimes, a woman will have lost her uterus to cancer or a medical condition. In other cases, a uterine structural problem may make conception difficult, or simply impossible to carry a child to term. Older women and couples are more likely to face issues with infertility. And about 10% of infertile women may never know why they can’t fall pregnant.
But it’s not just women who are affected. Around one-third of infertility cases are due to problems with a man’s sperm and reproductive organs.
Additionally, if a woman’s ovaries are functioning and her egg quality is acceptable, she can utilize her genetics to have biological children through surrogacy.
You’re a same-sex couple
Celebrities such as Elton John, Neil Patrick Harris and Ricky Martin have helped show the world that surrogacy is a great way for LGBT couples to start a family. The surrogacy process for same-sex couples and individuals is very similar to that of any other intended parent. Gestational surrogacy is a popular option for gay intended parents who wish to be biologically related to their child(ren).
Some male couples may even choose to fertilize multiple eggs using both partners’ sperm so that either or both can become the biological father.
You are a single woman or a single man
Gone are the days when someone had to be in a relationship to have a child. If you’re a single woman or man and you desperately want to be a mom or dad, you can - through a surrogate.
A single woman may choose to use a gestational surrogate if she cannot conceive or carry a pregnancy to full-term herself. A single man may also decide to use a surrogate mother if he has no female partner.
You have other medical conditions
Sometimes, a woman may be physically able to carry a pregnancy, but other health issues make it dangerous for her to do so. Heart conditions, autoimmune diseases, psychological issues or certain physical conditions can make her pregnancy potentially harmful to herself or the baby.
You’re taking certain medications
Some medications are not recommended to be taken during pregnancy. Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to simply stop taking your particular medication, especially if you have a medical condition.
You can’t (or don’t want to) adopt
While adoption is also a possibility for starting a family, it’s a lengthy process that may not suit everyone. Also - and most importantly - many people might simply wish to have a child that is biologically theirs.
How to find out more about surrogacy
If you want to learn about what the surrogacy process would mean for you, the first step is to talk to a reputable agency. Family Source Consultants is a Gestational Surrogacy and Egg Donation Agency which facilitates the surrogacy process for couples and individuals. Contact them here: [email protected] or via phone: 312-277-4008
