Surrogate mother is a term designating a woman who lends her womb to help a couple have a child. Relatively common in Europe and the United States, this process must be carried out under a legal agreement to avoid the illegal practice of buying and selling wombs solely for reasons of economic need. This is one of the reasons surrogacy became a polemic in many countries. You can visit our website to learn more about how to become an intended parent.
Most couples who are difficulties having children will resort to alternative ways such as surrogacy. This medical method is practiced in several countries, including the United States and Europe, where surrogacy has been legalized.
Intended parents interested in using the surrogacy method, can go visit a doctor or clinic expert in the matter and discuss their problems. Intended parents who have difficulty finding a surrogate mother, can contact a surrogacy agency.
1. Surrogate mother vs gestational carrier
Actually, the use of the term surrogate mother is not quite right. This term is only appropriate if the woman who will be pregnant uses her own egg and is fertilized by a sperm cell through the process of insemination. The fertilization is done through IVF (in vitro fertility) procedures. The embryos from the fertilized eggs and sperm cells from the biological parents are transferred into the womb of the surrogate mother. Genetically, the term surrogate mother indicates that there is a blood relationship between the mother and the child in the womb.
There is a risk that at any time the biological mother changes her mind after she gives birth to the child. The adoption procedure prevents that issue by giving the intended parents full and legal custody of the newborn.
2. Various gestational carrier procedures
In short, a gestational carrier is a woman who is not genetically linked to her unborn child. As noted above, the IVF procedure is becoming the most common way to perform a surrogate pregnancy. Such pregnancy can also be done through other procedures, such as:
- Mother’s egg fertilized by a sperm donor
- Egg donor fertilized by biological father’s sperm
- Egg donor fertilized by a sperm donor
- Embryo donation
In some states of the United States and in other countries, a surrogate pregnancy agreement may be made if the prospective child is related by blood to one of the biological parents. For example, a woman “lends” her womb to conceive a child from her brother or sister.
3. Requirements to be a surrogate mother
Just like when planning a healthy pregnancy, being a surrogate mother also requires preparation. In most states, certain conditions need to be met:
- Aged 21-37 years,
- Not smoking or using illegal drugs,
- Have at least one healthy pregnancy and have one biological child,
- Have no history of complications during pregnancy and childbirth,
- Have a normal weight, not underweight or overweight,
- Have gone through an intensive examination by a gynecologist,
- The husband must agree to this surrogate pregnancy procedure.
4. Who needs a surrogate mother?
There are many reasons why biological parents would want a surrogate mother to carry their child. Some of the reasons that could happen include:
- Women whose uterus has been removed for medical reasons,
- Certain medical conditions that can harm both mother and child if the woman is pregnant,
- Previous pregnancy or childbirth experienced complications and endangered the safety of mother and baby,
- Repeated IVF implantation failure,
- Unresolved, recurrent miscarriage.
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine states surrogates should undergo a medical exam to check their chances of a healthy pregnancy. The organization recommends that surrogate mothers undergo screening for infectious diseases. Those who become surrogate mothers must also be vaccinated against diseases such as measles, rubella and chickenpox.
In addition, surrogates also need to sign an agreement regarding their roles and responsibilities during pregnancy, such as prenatal care and consent to deliver the baby after birth. Countries have developed their own legal umbrella regulating the practice of surrogacy.
Demand for surrogacy in the world continues to increase. Increasing demand makes it difficult to find a surrogate mother. The practice of surrogacy is still illegal in a number of countries. Several countries such as the United States, Mexico, India, Thailand, Ukraine, and Russia are often referred to as ‘homes’ for surrogacy practices with surrogacy costs reaching into tens of thousands of dollars. The surrogacy procedure also carries internal risks related to the surrogate mother. Problems will arise when the surrogate mother has too strong a bond with the child she is carrying. The surrogacy agreement signed between the biological parents and the surrogate mother is meant to avoid future conflicts.
