Who are Gestational Carriers (aka Surrogates)?

Many people dream about having children of their own for years but face difficulties when it comes to getting pregnant. For same sex couples, those struggling with infertility, single parents, and others, having a child may seem impossible. However, gestational carriers — selfless women who opt to help carry intended parents’ children for them — provide hope for intended parents to do just that. Gestational carriers make the choice to change families’ lives by acting as a surrogate for the intended parents. But who are gestational carriers? 

Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado is here to describe just what kinds of women may make great gestational carriers.

5 Women Who are Gestational Carriers 

When a woman makes the decision to help a family in need by becoming a gestational carrier for them, she has the potential to change lives. There are many different types of women who make the decision to become a gestational carrier and help out the intended parents they are matched with. However, not just anyone can become a gestational carrier. In order to better understand who gestational carriers are, some qualities of great gestational carriers include: 

  • 1 – Having already had at least one safe pregnancy

If you want to become a gestational carrier, having already had a complication-free pregnancy is extremely important. A gestational carrier with a history of safe pregnancies is more likely to have another safe pregnancy when carrying intended parents’ children. For this reason, it’s a requirement for gestational carriers to present medical records that show a history of at least one safe pregnancy. Another requirement for gestational carriers is that they are currently parenting another child, so having already been pregnant before is critical. 

  • 2 – Living a stable lifestyle

Because pregnancy can take a large toll on a woman’s body, it’s important that gestational carriers live a stable lifestyle. This includes having a reliable source of transportation, a trustworthy support system, and a mostly stress-free environment. Prior to the pregnancy, emotional screening will be done to ensure that gestational carriers will be able to handle the different things that come along with pregnancy. Gestational carriers are also encouraged to practice self-care to decrease stress and make the pregnancy as comfortable as possible. 

  • 3 – Wanting to help others out

While gestational carriers will be monetarily compensated for their help, it’s important that women who become gestational carriers are in it for the right reasons. If you want to help another family achieve their dreams of having children, and are willing to help them out by becoming pregnant again, then you have a great reason to become a gestational carrier! Be sure to evaluate your motives and ensure that you want to help out in this extremely selfless way.

  • 4 – Loving children

Chances are, if you are interested in becoming a gestational carrier, that you love children enough to want to help another family experience the same joy. While it’s not necessarily a requirement, most women who become gestational carriers love children. In fact, many women want other families to be able to achieve their dreams of having children and selflessly become gestational carriers so they can do just that. 

  • 5 – Being between 21 and 41 years old

In order to help increase the chances of a successful pregnancy, gestational carriers are required to be over 21 and usually no older than 41 years of age in the state of Colorado. Because these are typically the healthiest ages for women to become pregnant and deliver a child, it’s a requirement that gestational carriers fall somewhere in this age range during the time of the pregnancy. In rare cases, though, there may be exceptions. Feel free to reach out to us at Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado with any questions. 

While this list includes characteristics of women who are great gestational carriers, it is non exhaustive. Many gestational carriers may not have every one of these qualities, and there are numerous other things that make a wonderful gestational carrier as well. Above all, if you desire to help another family have a child of their own, it may be worth it to consider whether you’d be a gestational carrier. 

Are you Interested in Becoming a Gestational Carrier? 

If you are interested in becoming a gestational carrier, Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado is here to support you. If you meet the requirements to become a gestational carrier, we will make sure you have legal representation, medical care, and hands-on support throughout the entire surrogacy process. We also have resources to help match gestational carriers with fitting intended parents! Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us for more information or with any questions that you may have. 

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, Text us: 720-371-1099, Call 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. 

 

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