Pros and Cons for Surrogacy
According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 10 percent of women in the United States ages 15 to 44 have difficulty getting pregnant or staying pregnant. One option for these couples is surrogacy, whether working with an agency or arranging an independent match.
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Information on Surrogacy Agencies
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A surrogacy agency assists in making all the arrangements from start to finish. Because it can be time-consuming finding the right match, going through an agency might take less time. Agencies work with first-time and experienced surrogates but nonetheless keep all parties well-informed. A surrogate agency guides both parties through the details of what is involved, coordinates all testing requirements and negotiates the contract. Independent matches can be found through word of mouth, through a surrogacy attorney, by asking a family member or friend to be a surrogate or through online message boards.
Benefits of Surrogacy
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Surrogacy offers another solution to couples unable to have a baby of their own. A major advantage of surrogacy is that it allows one or both parents to be genetically related to the child. Different from adoption, surrogacy involves the intended parents in the baby's conception and throughout the pregnancy. With a decline in the number of newborn infants available for adoption, surrogacy offers childless couples another alternative to having a baby.
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Cost of Surrogacy
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Couples exploring the potential of surrogacy must consider a number of critical factors. The first question is often whether to use a surrogacy agency or to find an independent match. Fees can range from $3,000 to $20,000, depending on whether an agency finds a match only or offers full services. Other costs for which the intended parents usually are responsible for paying, even if they find their own surrogate, include compensation to the surrogate, attorney fees, court costs and prenatal care for the surrogate mother. Couples for whom finances may be an issue can often save thousands of dollars by finding a match independently.
Surrogacy Warnings
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In some cases, either the surrogate or the intended parents are taken advantage of. Unfortunately, scams involving surrogacy do occur. Sometimes people's feelings change, or medical complications arise. Unpaid medical bills are a common problem. When the intended parents do not pay, the hospital typically holds the surrogate mother responsible for payment.
Misconceptions
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One of the biggest myths about surrogacy is that most surrogates will not give up the baby. In most cases, surrogates already have children of their own, and it is the love for their own children that makes women want to give other couples that same opportunity to experience parenthood. A surrogate generally enters the arrangement knowing that the baby she will carry belongs to the intended parents.
Preventing Problems with Surrogacy
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A thorough screening process at the onset can prevent many problems later on. Conducting thorough psychological testing along with background and credit checks on both the surrogate and the intended parents are important factors in any surrogate arrangement. On the part of the surrogate, a comprehensive health history and physical exam should be part of the process. All parties have the right to all the facts before entering into a contract. Parents must be cautious if not using the services of an agency, and a surrogate will ask for a retainer fee. If you feel uneasy about any potential surrogate match, you should say that you are not interested before the contract stage. This goes for both the intended parents and the surrogate.
Controversy Around Surrogacy
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Even though it's estimated that hundreds of babies are born as the result of surrogacy arrangements each year, the controversy continues. Some view it as a commercial enterprise, likening it to baby selling. Legal experts warn that in most states, surrogacy contracts can be difficult to enforce. In some states, paid surrogacy is illegal. The fact remains that both the intended parents and the surrogate take a risk when signing a surrogacy contract. Still, very few surrogate contracts ever evolve into a dispute.
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Resources
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