Surrogacy is the process where a person agrees to carry and give birth to a child which belongs to a different parent. After the birth of the child, the birth parent transfers the custody and guardianship of the child to the intended parents. The legal and medical steps involved in surrogacy are complex and they must be evaluated properly before the process. Consulting a medical professional is necessary before opting for this procedure.
WHY SURROGACY?
Surrogacy allows people to raise a child who cannot conceive a baby.
People who use surrogacy:
- Females who had their uterus removed or have issues with their uterus
- Females who might face risks while being pregnant
- Singles or gay males
TYPES OF SURROGACY
The most common types of surrogacy performed in this day and age are:
- Traditional surrogacy
In this type of surrogacy the woman who bears the child gives her eggs and the eggs are further fertilized with the method of artificial insemination or in vitro insemination, the child is related biologically to the surrogate or the woman who’s bearing the child. Traditional surrogacy is prohibited in certain places of the world.
- Gestational surrogacy
In this process, the embryo of the intended parent is transferred to the uterus of the surrogate, the embryo is a result of fertilization of the egg and sperm of the intended parents with the help of In vitro fertilization (IVF). The egg in this type does not belong to the surrogate. This is the most common method of surrogacy in the whole world.
If a person is unable to find a surrogate or a recipient parent, there are many agencies and medical organizations which provide surrogacy arrangements. Some of them are:
TYPES OF SURROGACY ARRANGEMENTS
- Altruistic surrogacy
In this type, the surrogate does voluntary work and does not receive any payment or source of income. However, the intended parents have to pay any cost related to pregnancy.
- Commercial surrogacy
In this type, the surrogate or the woman who conceives the child receives a payment and all the cost related to pregnancy is paid by the intended parents. This type of surrogacy arrangement is banned in many places in the world.
HOW TO BE A SURROGATE
You need to be 25-40 years of age to become a surrogate. A surrogate should be healthy both mentally and physically and should have the motivation or desire to be a surrogate. Certain tests should be performed to check if it can affect the child’s health before you can be a surrogate. It is important to think about the relationship a surrogate is going to have with the child and the intended parents before becoming a surrogate.
For more queries you can always consult with the best fertility expert in Siliguri.