How to Become a Gestational Carrier in Colorado
Are you interested in helping another family fulfill their dreams of having their own children? Do you understand the huge positive impact that having children can have on families? If so, becoming a gestational carrier is a life changing way to help out. Gestational carriers are selfless, kind-hearted, giving, and can change an entire family’s lives for the better. If this sounds like something that may be a good fit for you, Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado is here to help outline how to become a gestational carrier in Colorado
Who are Gestational Carriers?
Put simply, gestational carriers are women who will help another family out by carrying their child to term. They help out tremendously through gestational surrogacy in cases of same sex intended parents, single intended parents, intended parents dealing with infertility or health risks related to pregnancy, and more. These intended parents may have never thought they’d be able to have children of their own, but gestational carriers can help them achieve just that. In the state of Colorado, gestational carriers can be compensated for their role in the pregnancy process. However, gestational carriers should ensure that they are primarily motivated by the idea of helping another family rather than by monetary compensation.
How to Become a Gestational Carrier in Colorado
- Meet the State Requirements.
If you are a woman interested in becoming a gestational carrier, the state of Colorado has some requirements that must be followed. These guidelines are in place to help increase the gestational carrier’s likelihood of a safe, unproblematic, and successful pregnancy to help out intended parents. These requirements include, but are not limited to:
- Gestational carriers must have a status as United States citizen and be living in the U.S.
- Gestational carriers must be women between 21 to 41 years old.
- Gestational carriers must demonstrate physical fitness through a Body Mass Index (BMI) of about 33 or lower.
- Medical records must be presented that show at least one complication-free pregnancy and delivery to help ensure increased chances for a safe pregnancy.
- Gestational carriers must currently be in the parenting process for at least one child.
- Gestational carriers must not be recipients of certain kinds of government aid including welfare, cash assistance, and public housing. Other forms of government aid should be discussed with us at Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado.
- Gestational carriers should be women living a stable lifestyle with reliable transportation and a trustworthy support system.
- Emotional screening must be done for intended gestational carriers to ensure stability for pregnancies.
- Match with Intended Parents.
At Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado, we support gestational surrogacy where gestational carriers are not biologically related to the child they carry. If you are considering becoming a gestational carrier in Colorado, reach out to us and we will aid finding a perfect match between surrogates and intended parents. We will consider various different aspects of compatibility when matching gestational carriers and intended parents to ensure a smooth, positive experience for both parties and the child that is born.
- Develop a Surrogacy Contract Prior to the Pregnancy.
With gestational surrogacy, intended parents and gestational carriers enter into agreements prior to the pregnancy to avoid legal complications. This is established through a surrogacy contract, which will outline many topics such as complications, intended parents and surrogate rights, and more.
- Undergo Embryo Implantation and Practice Self-Care.
After the agreements have been made, the pregnancy will begin. Gestational carriers will experience embryo transfer, and then carry the child to term. It is important for gestational carriers to practice self care and maintain good health throughout the pregnancy. Once the child is delivered, gestational carriers will be able to welcome the child with the child’s intended parents. In many situations, the meaningful relationship between intended parents and a gestational carrier could continue for many years!
Are You Interested in Becoming a Gestational Carrier?
If you are interested in or have questions about becoming a gestational carrier in the state of Colorado, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado. We will help to make sure you have legal representation, medical care, and hands-on support throughout the entire surrogacy process. Becoming a gestational carrier is a life-changing and super rewarding experience. We would love to support you through the journey and match you with possible intended parents!
If you are interested in surrogacy and want to learn more about your options, contact Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado by email, phone, or text: Email Us, Call us: 720-371-1099, Call or Text us: 303-670-4673 (HOPE). If you are hoping to adopt, please contact us here.
Meet the Author: Ashley Nies is an undergraduate student at Stanford University who is studying Human Biology and Political Science. Ashley is largely interested in various aspects of health and healthcare, and writes about these topics. She has taken classes on rhetoric, ethics and social media in health, as well as other creative writing classes during her freshman year at Stanford.
Ashley is from Las Vegas, Nevada, and considers herself to be fun-loving and adventurous. She values the importance of combining STEM with liberal arts education and hopes to integrate these in her writing.
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!