The History of Colorado Surrogacy and Its Future
Surrogacy has been practiced for thousands of years. The practice has evolved with the help of advances in medical technology, allowing women to carry children for deserving families without using their own eggs. As more states and countries begin to accept surrogacy, we can expect the industry to expand and the legal process to become more streamlined.
Surrogacy agencies such as Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado have kept up with the changes to guide intended parents and surrogates through the surrogacy process and will continue to do so as changes come.
Read on for more about the history of surrogacy and where it’s headed as an industry.
The History of Colorado Surrogacy
Traditional surrogacy is an old practice. To avoid divorce, women who were infertile would enlist the help of a younger woman to have her husband’s child. They could then remain married while their husbands still gained heirs. These early surrogates may have been servants and handmaidens or younger relatives. Historical texts, like the Bible, describe an example of traditional surrogacy with an older woman, Sarah, asking her handmaiden to have her husband Abraham’s child.
Traditional surrogacy brought many legal and moral considerations into play when women were asked to give up children who were related to them. This practice has limited the growth of surrogacy worldwide. In fact, it has now been banned across the US and is no longer considered a type of surrogacy. Fortunately, the advancement of medical technology has given surrogates and intended parents more options.
A Timeline of Modern Surrogacy
- 1975 – The first successful embryo transfer occurred
- 1976 – The first legal surrogacy agreement was made
- 1978 – The first baby was born from in vitro fertilization (IVF)
- 1980 – The first compensated surrogacy agreement was made
- 1982 – The first baby was born from an egg donation
- 1985 – Gestational surrogacy was first performed
- 1986 – “Baby M” was born to a traditional surrogate who fought to keep the child. Custody was awarded to the biological father with visitation rights granted to the surrogate
- 1999 – The Special Program of Assisted Reproduction (SPAR) allowed HIV positive men to father children without passing on the disease
Intended parents can now use donor eggs and sperm as needed to make a baby. Surrogates with a history of healthy pregnancies can be given an embryo transfer thanks to in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments to have a child not related to them. Gestational surrogacy has made parenthood accessible to many individuals and couples who would not otherwise have been able to have children. It has also reduced the concerns about legal or emotional difficulties in the process since the baby is biologically related to the intended parents.
The Future of Colorado Surrogacy
Intended parents and surrogates alike still face many obstacles when it comes to the surrogacy process.
While surrogacy is legal in many states in the United States, this limits the accessibility of surrogacy to many hopeful families. As more regions across the nation legalize surrogacy, more people who have difficulties with fertility or are unable to have children as a couple — including those in the LGBTQ+ community — will be able to expand their families and experience parenthood. For instance, individual states, such as Oklahoma, have updated their surrogacy legislation in the last few years. With more acceptance and increased numbers of surrogacy come more surrogacy agreements. Over time, the documentation process should become more standardized.
We can also expect medical techniques to improve over time, enhancing the success rates of embryo transfers and making surrogacy easier for both surrogates and intended parents.
Surrogacy agencies are a great way for intended parents and surrogates to access the care and support they need throughout the surrogacy process. With expanded surrogacy, more resources will become available to surrogates and intended parents will gain confidence in the reliability of the process.
The History of Colorado Surrogacy and Its Future
Surrogacy has already changed significantly from traditional to gestational surrogacy with the help of medical technology. You can expect it to keep growing and evolving as the industry ages.
Agencies like Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado will continue to offer guidance and support for intended parents and surrogates wanting to pursue surrogacy. For the latest news in surrogacy and help navigating your own surrogacy journey, reach out to our surrogacy specialists 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.