9 FAQs about Gestational Surrogacy for Intended Parents
Surrogacy is a whole new arena for many intended parents hoping to add to their families. Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado is here to help you understand the most common type of surrogacy and how you can get started in the surrogacy process. Below are frequently asked questions (FAQs) about gestational surrogacy for intended parents.
1. What is Gestational Surrogacy?
Gestational surrogacy is a frequent choice for couples and individuals hoping to expand their families. Gestational surrogacy involves the intended parent or parents combining their egg and sperm, or that of a donor, to create an embryo using in vitro fertilization (IVF). After it has been fertilized in a lab, the embryo is then transferred into the surrogate’s uterus, where it will grow and develop.
2. Why Choose Gestational Surrogacy vs. Traditional Surrogacy?
Traditional surrogacy is the way surrogacy used to be done, where the surrogate agrees to intrauterine insemination with an intended parent’s or donor’s sperm. The baby forms from the egg of the surrogate, making the surrogate the child’s biological mother. She would, then, have to waive her rights to parental custody once the baby arrives. However, because of the legal and emotional issues this caused, traditional surrogacy is now banned across the United States and no longer recognized as a type of surrogacy.
Gestational surrogacy is supported by surrogacy agencies, meaning intended parents have an easier time finding a surrogate and creating their family. Surrogacy agencies, like our surrogacy center in Colorado, help intended parents navigate the surrogacy process and connect them to surrogacy lawyers, fertility centers, and, most importantly, surrogates. Because the intended parents use their own egg and sperm through IVF, the surrogate shares no genetic connection with the child, lessening the legal issues.
3. Who Chooses Gestational Surrogacy?
Gestational surrogacy is a crucial opportunity for those who experience fertility difficulties. This includes single individuals who need the addition of donor DNA to have a child, and couples who have had trouble getting pregnant or carrying a baby to term. Those who have gone through IVF treatments themselves without success can also benefit from surrogacy.
Gestational surrogacy is also highly beneficial for same-sex or LGBTQ+ couples and individuals who cannot get pregnant for themselves. Gestational surrogacy increases the chances for these intended parents to build their families.
4. Will the Baby be Related to the Surrogate?
With gestational surrogacy, the embryo is formed with egg and sperm from the intended parent(s), or an egg and sperm bank or donor, if necessary. The surrogate is not related to the baby.
5. How Long does it Take to Get Pregnant?
The first step in the surrogacy process is finding a surrogate. A surrogacy agency can help you find a match among their professional surrogates, based on your preferences and expectations for contact throughout the pregnancy. Once you meet your surrogate and formalize the necessary legal agreements, the egg donor or intended parent and the surrogate will begin fertility treatments to prepare for IVF and embryo transfer.
Most surrogates and intended parents agree to three attempts at embryo transfer. Once an embryo successfully implants, the countdown to birth begins and will take about 10 months. However, since everyone’s surrogacy journey is unique, the exact timeframe can vary.
6. Who are the Surrogates?
Surrogates must meet physical, emotional, and psychological requirements to be approved. These women are usually between 21 and 38 years old and physically healthy. They have had at least one healthy pregnancy, and are raising at least one child at home. They must not have had any complications during previous pregnancies to ensure that they will be able to carry out additional pregnancies without issue. They are also screened by a mental health professional to make sure they are prepared emotionally for another pregnancy.
7. How do We Find a Surrogate?
There are independent surrogates that you can find by searching for online communities. With an independent surrogate, you will need to ensure they meet the requirements to be accepted by your surrogacy lawyer and fertility clinic.
Through a surrogacy agency, your surrogacy specialist will match you with surrogates. You then have the opportunity to receive the surrogates’ profiles and decide who you would like to interview. During an interview, you can discuss your expectations for surrogacy. If both parties find it to be a good match, you can move forward.
8. How much Contact will We have with the Surrogate?
This is something that the intended parents and surrogate discuss and agree to together. In most cases, the surrogate has regular communication with the intended parents throughout the pregnancy and surrogacy journey, and the intended parents attend all of the major medical visits.
Contact after the birth is something you can discuss with your surrogate. Sometimes, intended parents develop a close relationship with their surrogate and maintain contact once the child arrives. This is not a requirement, however, and is up to the preferences of both parties.
9. How do We Get Started with Gestational Surrogacy?
For guidance along your surrogacy journey, start by contacting a surrogacy agency like ours. We have the experience and contacts needed to help you find the right surrogate and begin the path to pregnancy and surrogacy.
FAQs about Gestational Surrogacy for Intended Parents
Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado helps intended parents work with their surrogates to create their families. If you have any more questions about gestational surrogacy for intended parents or would like the advice of our surrogacy specialists, contact our surrogacy agency today.
If you are interested in learning more about your gestational surrogacy options, contact Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado by email, phone, or text: Email Us, Text us: 720-371-1099, Call us: 303-670-4673 (HOPE). If you are hoping to adopt, please contact us here.
Meet the Author: Madilyn Moeller is a writer and editor keen on translating the technical. Madilyn’s years of science writing shine through as she explains everything from health insurance to moving for her readers. Madilyn has a Bachelor of Arts from Miami University in Professional Writing, Psychology, and Neuroscience. She is a lifelong writer bringing her curiosity to the marketing stage, building websites and blogs for businesses moving online. She knows more about Medicare than any young adult should.
Stephanie joined the Adoption Choices family in 2014 as the Child Placement Supervisor. Her love for adoption began in first grade when she made friends with twins adopted from Vietnam. Her heart grew strong over the years for adopted children and ultimately led her to graduate school where she continued her focus to her dream of working in the adoption field. Stephanie earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver in 2001. Over the past 15 years, Stephanie has worked as a pregnancy counselor and as an adoptive parent counselor for foster care, international adoption and domestic adoption, writing hundreds of home studies for families, and helping build their forever families. Stephanie is married and has three boys ages 12, 9, and 5. Together with her family she enjoys riding bike, playing games, watching her three sons compete in their various sporting and musical activities and go on vacations.
Christy Ikeler, is our Executive Director and Birth Parent Director. Christy has been with Adoption Choices Team for 18 years, since opening the doors in 2002! Christy has a true passion for what she does and her true love is working with and helping each birth parent. Whether she is up all night on the phone talking with them, taking them to doctors appointments, out for their favorite treat, providing counseling or at the hospital during labor and delivery, Christy is very involved every step of the way. She has a contagious laugh and a spunky personality that our birth moms all can bond with and relate to. As an adoptive parent herself, adoption holds a very special place in her heart and she can relate on every level with both birth parents and adoptive parents. In her free time Christy loves spending time with her daughter, gardening, baking and taking vacations with her family. Christy is an excellent leader for our team at Adoption Choices and is truly one of a kind!! As Executive Director, Christy spends time with the staff, birth parents and adoptive families in order to ensure that the agency is running smoothly. She has placed a huge emphasis on community outreach and programs for birth parents. Christy loves the opportunity to lead the agency into a brighter future.
Ms. Mackenzie has built a successful counseling career over the past 20 years, supporting mothers and families, people of all ages and genders, students, community professionals and fellow clinicians. Liv values a diverse professional focus, including the entrepreneurial life of a sole proprietor, the evaluative process of certifying foster/adoptive homes, the insightful and mindful one-on-one one work with enthusiastic clients, and serving as an advocate for underserved populations. Liv is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a BA in Pre-Law and Economics from American University, an MA in Counseling from Adams University and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Villanova University. Away from work you will find Liv spending time in nature, biking to the farmer’s market and adventuring with her family.
Catherine A. Madsen, joined the Adoption Choices family as legal counsel in 2013. Catherine is responsible for providing legal guidance to the Agency, training and updating staff on developments in adoption law and legislation, and program development. Catherine
Virginia Frank is an adoption attorney accredited since 1991 with the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. Ms. Frank is a leader in the field of private adoption and has completed over 4,000 adoptions in her career. Ms. Frank has a law degree from Oklahoma City University and a BA in both Political Science and Communications from the University of Oklahoma.
Cassidie has been with Adoption Choices since 2015, she has her bachelors in Interdisciplinary Affairs with concentrations in both Sociology and Business Management. Cassidie has additional training in Victim Advocacy, foster care and has been working in women’s services for over 10 years. Cassidie has always had a heart for adoption and it was her career dream to work in adoption. She started off doing volunteer work for advocacy programs, adoption organizations and worked in High Risk Maternal Fetal Medicine through the University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Colorado. Cassidie is also blessed to have personally experienced an adoption of her own in 2012, completing her family of five! Cassidie loves what she does as a case worker from initial phone calls, meetings, doctor appointments, interaction with the adoptive families to delivery and counseling. Cassidie has a passion for those in need and strives to help make a difference in the lives of the people she meets. She is a firm believer in being kind, compassionate and open minded in all situations. “Unless you’ve walked in their shoes, there’s no place for judgment. A kind word or compliment can go a long way!” The bittersweet moments in adoption reminds Cassidie each and every time, why she loves what she does!