Key Surrogacy Terms You Need to Know About Colorado Surrogacy
Some of the key players in surrogacy are referred to by titles coined by the industry. Gestational carriers or surrogates and intended mothers are critical to gestational surrogacy. Without intended mothers, we would have no need for surrogates or gestational carriers. Without surrogates and gestational carriers, intended mothers could not raise a child from birth. All of these actors are important when it comes to surrogacy, so we will describe who these people are and how they interact in gestational surrogacy.
Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado is a surrogacy agency that helps match intended mothers with surrogates. We offer this guide to all those seeking information about surrogacy.
Gestational Carriers
Gestational carriers are women who choose to carry a baby for another person. Often this is the term used for surrogates who work with a family through gestational surrogacy.
What is Gestational Surrogacy?
Gestational surrogacy is a procedure that allows a woman to carry someone’s child while not being related to the baby. Egg and sperm from the intended parents or donors are combined to form an embryo. The embryo is transplanted to the gestational carrier’s uterus, where a successful pregnancy will lead to the birth of a child who is entirely unrelated to her.
This is the form of surrogacy that is most commonly accepted across the nation. The procedure eliminates legal troubles and emotional attachment difficulties that sometimes arise with traditional surrogacy, which is where the surrogate uses her own egg to form the embryo (this is illegal in most states). Intended parents and surrogates alike benefit from an arrangement of gestational surrogacy.
Surrogates
Surrogates are women who choose to carry someone else’s child through pregnancy. The term “surrogate” is used interchangeably with “gestational carrier” because they perform the same service in gestational surrogacy.
Who Becomes a Surrogate?
Surrogates must meet certain requirements which have been guided by fertility clinics and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. These women are between 21 and 38 and are physically healthy. They must also have had a history of healthy pregnancies without complications and must currently be parenting at least one child. Surrogates are also emotionally mature and prepared for the challenges of pregnancy.
Women who become surrogates are those who want to give back to others. Often these women recognize the struggle other hopeful parents have with fertility and choose to pursue surrogacy out of an altruistic need to serve others. Some women become surrogates to help family, friends or loved ones build their families. These women know the joy of having a family and want to give others the chance to experience raising a child from birth.
Being a surrogate takes a lot of time and energy. These women sacrifice their bodies to go through pregnancy and have children for other families. Surrogate mothers are a community of women who want to bring more joy into the world and fulfillment into the lives of others.
Intended Mothers
Intended mothers are women who want to have a baby with the help of surrogacy.
Who are Intended Mothers?
Many women become intended mothers. These women may be single or in a relationship and come from all realms of life experience. Many intended mothers seek out surrogacy because they have had difficulty having children. A large portion of these women come to surrogacy after going through in vitro fertilization treatments without success.
Other intended mothers come to surrogacy because of lifestyle or physical impediments to being pregnant. Women who have damage to their uterine lining or who have had their uterus removed are not physically able to have healthy pregnancies and carry a child to term. Many health conditions also make it unwise for a woman to become pregnant, as it can negatively affect her health and that of the baby.
Intended mothers rely on the help of physically healthy surrogates to have their children. Surrogates have demonstrated their ability to safely give birth and are willing to help other families grow. Intended mothers are grateful for the ability to grow their families with the help of gestational surrogacy.
Learn About Who’s Involved in Surrogacy
How do these people find each other and interact to coordinate the birth of a child and growth of a family? Many times, these people go to a surrogacy agency.
Surrogates who contract with surrogacy agencies are able to enjoy the services that a surrogacy agency can provide, such as matching services, counseling, and support throughout the surrogacy journey. Intended mothers can go to a surrogacy agency to be matched with a vetted surrogate and receive support throughout the process.
For all of your surrogacy questions and to learn more about becoming a surrogate or intended mother, speak with a surrogacy specialist at Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado.
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!