If you’re having trouble conceiving in a traditional way, it can be very stressful and disheartening. There are other options out there. One that is growing in popularity is becoming a parent through surrogacy. If this is something you are interested in, but you’re not quite sure what is involved in the process, you’ve come to the right place. In the following post we will discuss the steps involved becoming parents through surrogacy in San Diego.
Figure Out if it’s Right for You
Before you start looking for a surrogate or anything like that you need to think long and hard about whether you really want to become a parent through surrogacy. You need to be aware that it can be a very emotional and long process and it’s a huge commitment.
Therefore, it’s vital that you don’t rush into it and look at the pros, cons and local laws. It may be a good idea to speak to a variety of different surrogacy professionals to figure out if it’s right for you.
Educate Yourself About Surrogacy
Another part of the surrogacy process is educating yourself as much as you can about surrogacy. For instance, you might not realize it, but there’s actually two kinds of surrogacy. These are:
Traditional Surrogacy – This is a type of surrogacy that involves the biological mother of the child she is carrying. Her own egg is fertilized using the intended father or donor’s sperm.
Gestational Surrogacy – In this type of surrogacy, the child is not biologically related to the surrogate mother. Instead, the embryo is created from an egg of the donor or intended mother and sperm from the donor or intended father. Once fertilized inside a lab, the embryo is then transferred into the surrogate.
You also need to be aware that there are two kinds of surrogacy professionals:
Surrogacy Attorney – This is required in order for the legal work to be completed for a surrogacy arrangement. They may not offer the same services as a surrogacy agency.
Surrogacy Agency – These agencies often perform all surrogacy services, including case management, legal, counselling, support, matching and screening.
Finding a Match
Perhaps one of the most crucial and exciting steps of the whole process is, of course, finding the right match with the right surrogate. If you already know someone who could be your surrogate, you might only need to find a suitable attorney who specializes in assisted reproductive law. If you have yet to find one though, you will probably use the help of a surrogacy agency to find one.
Intended parents work with a surrogacy professional to establish their plans for surrogacy. Based on these plans, they will develop a profile to show to other surrogates. When the surrogacy agency has found a match for their profile, they will discuss if they are interested in finding a match. If both parties want to move forward, they have a chance to get to know each other better through meetings, emails and calls. If all goes well, they will make it all official by drafting up a legal contract.
The Fertilization and Embryo Transfer Part of the Process
Once the legalities have been sorted and contracts signed, it is then time for the medical side of the process to begin. This part will be handled by a pre-agreed upon clinic. The egg donor or intended mother is given medication that helps develop eggs and then go through the egg retrieval process. These eggs are then fertilized in the lab to make an embryo that can then be transferred into the surrogate. After a healthy pregnancy has been confirmed, and there is a heartbeat, the surrogate will receive prenatal care, along with her compensation.