Important Differences between Compensated Surrogacy and Altruistic Surrogacy
Gestational surrogacy is a wonderful gift that allows families to grow. Intended parents and surrogates alike enter into this process out of a desire to nurture love and family. The main difference between the forms of surrogacy you see today is surrogacy compensation. Surrogacy agencies in Colorado support compensated surrogacy and altruistic surrogacy. The type of surrogacy available to you may differ depending on what state you live in.
Although there is some debate about whether the surrogate should be compensated, the intended parents can choose to seek out a surrogate willing to perform the type of surrogacy arrangement they support. Your surrogacy agency in Colorado will help to coordinate this process. At Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado, you have the freedom to choose.
Here are the main differences between compensated surrogacy and altruistic surrogacy.
What is Altruistic Surrogacy?
With altruistic surrogacy, the surrogate is not paid for her efforts beyond reimbursement for medical costs related to the surrogacy. These medical expenses include the costs of fertility treatments, in vitro fertilization (IVF), ultrasounds, medical appointments, labor, and delivery — as well as any supplements the surrogate is advised to take during the pregnancy.
Altruistic surrogates are commonly those mothers who are close to or related to the intended parents before the pregnancy. These are generally family members or close friends. They choose not to be compensated because they are helping the family out of compassion. If you have a potential altruistic surrogate, we recommend consulting a surrogacy agency to help you find the counseling and legal support you need before you start the surrogacy process.
What is Compensated Surrogacy?
Compensated surrogacy is where the surrogate mother receives compensation beyond reimbursement for her medical expenses and other costs related to the surrogacy journey. Some states allow the surrogate mother to receive a base compensation. This is for the sacrifice of her time and energy from choosing to go through the nine months of pregnancy growing another family’s child. This is meant to cover her living expenses, travel expenses, legal expenses, and other costs related to the surrogacy.
Surrogates who provide compensated surrogacy are motivated out of selflessness. They choose to become surrogates because they have had healthy pregnancies and want to help families who are otherwise unable to have children. Intended parents locate these surrogates through surrogacy agencies.
Choosing between Compensated Surrogacy and Altruistic Surrogacy
What makes the most sense for your situation? Here are some questions to ask yourself as you consider the differences between compensated surrogacy and altruistic surrogacy:
- Do you have a close friend or family member willing to serve as your surrogate?
- Are you concerned about preserving your relationship with your altruistic surrogate?
- Do you live in a state that allows compensated surrogacy?
- Would you have more confidence in choosing a professional surrogate through a surrogacy agency?
- Do your finances support the compensation for a surrogate?
- What kind of relationship do you want with your surrogate?
- Do you have specific requests that would affect the surrogate’s lifestyle during the pregnancy?
Seek Advice from Our Surrogacy Agency
Working with a surrogacy agency gives you the benefit of professional assistance throughout the surrogacy process. Our surrogacy agency screens surrogates and match intended parents with the women who can help them build their families. Surrogacy specialists can connect you with the legal representation you need to document surrogacy agreements and ensure custody once the child is born. You can have confidence that everything will go as expected.
You can also choose how and if you want to be in contact after the surrogacy process. Getting help from a friend or family member as an altruistic surrogacy may present emotional complications, which are not a concern in compensated surrogacy. The surrogacy specialists at Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado are experienced in this process and happy to help you find the right surrogate that meets your needs and expectations.
For any questions you have about the surrogacy process, speak with our specialists today.
f 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!