Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful times a couple can undergo because it guarantees the continuation of their family by producing a child. However, not all couples are lucky to get a baby naturally and require assisted reproductive technology (ART). Surrogacy is one of the most common types of ART in South Asian Fertility Mountain View, where a couple leverages the womb of a healthy woman to carry their fetus for them until birth. Afterward, the woman gives back the back to the couple and receives compensation for her help.
Although surrogacy is an effective process that guarantees an infertile couple a baby, it is a highly complex procedure that requires proper planning. Also, a couple needs to seek the assistance of a trained and experienced provider to promote predictable outcomes.
Who is involved in surrogacy?
The surrogacy process involves several individuals, including:
- Surrogate: This individual needs to be a healthy woman. A surrogate is a person who will carry the fetus to term.
- Parents of the unborn baby: The best term for these individuals is commissioning or intending parents.
- Other members include the family members of the intended parents and the surrogate’s partner. However, these individuals are not crucial for continuing the surrogacy process.
Who is eligible for surrogacy?
Surrogacy is an option for you if:
- You are an infertile woman: Women who cannot get pregnant or are victims of recurrent miscarriages can try getting a surrogate who will successfully carry the pregnancy for them until the due date.
- You are a single male or are in a same-sex male relationship: Only women can carry the pregnancy. Therefore, gay men seek the help of a surrogate to carry their pregnancy for them. However, it is also necessary to get a donor egg for the process.
Who can be a surrogate?
Surrogacy is a highly complex process. Couples need to get a suitable surrogate to optimize the success of the process. The following are the conditions to fulfill before settling on a surrogate to help minimize the risk of surrogacy:
- The woman must be older than 25 and below 52 years, the age of natural menopause.
- The surrogate should have already given birth to a child of her own.
- The woman should not have prior pregnancy-related complications.
- The woman should have a close relationship with the intending parents. The ties should be longer than six months before the embryo transfer.
What are the different types of surrogacy?
There are two main types of surrogacy:
- Gestational surrogacy: This process involves transplanting a fertilized embryo into the uterus of a surrogate. There is no genetic link between the surrogate and the unborn baby.
- Traditional surrogacy: The surrogate may donate her eggs, which the doctor will artificially inseminate with sperm from a male partner of the intended parents. For this reason, the surrogate will have a genetic link to the unborn baby.
Contact NOVA IVF if you have challenges getting pregnant to find out if surrogacy is an option for you.
