Today’s most popular form of surrogacy is gestational surrogacy, in which the surrogate is not connected to the baby she is carrying. Although figures on gestational surrogacy are hard to come by, this route to parenthood has helped thousands of couples and individuals expand their families, and it is becoming more popular.
If you’re considering gestational surrogacy, read on to learn more about how it works, how much it costs, and if it’s a viable choice for your family.
Definition of Gestational Surrogacy
The child born via gestational surrogacy is not biologically related to the surrogate mother, who is also known as a gestational carrier. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is used to build the embryo, which is then transferred to the surrogate using the intended parents’ or donors’ eggs and sperm.
In most cases, at least one intended parent and the surrogate are genetically related to the child. Since stepparent or second-parent adoption is not allowed, gestational surrogacy is less legally complicated than other types of surrogacy.
The following individuals may be interested in gestational surrogacy:
- People who have struggled with infertility
- People who don’t want their child to have a genetic connection to the surrogate
- Anyone who is unable to bring a pregnancy to term in a healthy manner
How does gestational surrogacy work?
Most papers you read about the surrogacy process apply to gestational surrogacy since it is the most popular form of surrogacy throughout the world today. Seeking a surrogacy opportunity, signing legal documents, and moving the embryo to the surrogate are all part of the gestational surrogacy phase.
Intended parents may search for a surrogacy opportunity on their own and work with an attorney who specializes in assisted reproductive law to seek an independent surrogacy. On the other hand, most targeted parents choose to work with a full-service surrogacy center or clinic as ADONIS to locate a gestational carrier.
One of the following methods will be used to create an embryo and pass it to the surrogate:
- The intended parents’ eggs and sperm, in which case the baby would be directly connected to both intended parents.
- A donated egg is fertilized with sperm from the intended parent, and the fetus would be genetically related to the intended father.
- If the intended mother’s egg is fertilized with donor sperm, the child would be genetically related to the intended mother.
- A donor embryo or one produced with donor eggs and sperm, in which case neither intended parent is genetically related to the baby.
The surrogate will then bear the baby as if it were any other pregnancy, and the planned parents will receive full legal custody of their child when he or she is born.
The Advantages and Limitations of Gestational Surrogacy
While gestational surrogacy has many benefits that make it a common choice among intended parents, there are some risks to consider. Some of the most important advantages and disadvantages of gestational surrogacy are as follows:
BENEFITS
- Intended parents may keep a genetic connection to their child via gestational surrogacy.
- Surrogacy allows intended parents to form a friendly connection with their surrogate mother.
- Since the baby is not connected to the gestational carrier, gestational surrogacy is the least legally complicated type of surrogacy.
OBJECTIVES
- Surrogacy is typically a time-consuming and costly legal procedure (but here we suggest to read an article where we compare prices over the world)
- In order for gestational surrogacy to work, intended parents must abandon some responsibility over the pregnancy while someone else carries it for them.
- If the planned mother is using her own eggs for surrogacy, she may need fertility treatments and other medical procedures.
Although gestational surrogacy is a prolonged and often difficult procedure, it is a satisfying and exciting way for hopeful parents to grow their families and experience all of the joys and challenges that come with raising a biological child.