Surrogacy is a rewarding and fulfilling process both for intended parents and for surrogates. Throughout history infertility has been a prevalent issue, not only in the US but throughout the world. With the startling statistics of 1 in 6 people suffering from infertility it is no wonder we see the rise in both the rate of surrogacy and the advancements in reproductive technology, as well as, in the legal framework to protect all the parties involved.

Every year thousands of intended parents seek the help of a caring and loving surrogates to help them complete their family. While surrogacy has incredible benefits and merits, the process is not without its challenges, complications and risks; it is just my belief that the significant and sweeping benefits of surrogacy substantially outweigh any of the challenges that may arise throughout the process. When considering surrogacy as an option to help complete your family, intended parents should consider both the positive and negative sides of surrogacy to ensure that surrogacy is the right option for them.

For hopeful intended parents the benefits are obvious: surrogacy is the way to help them make the dreams they have for completing their family come true.

Pros

  1. Success Rate: With all the advancements in IVF and reproductive technology the success rates for surrogacy are extremely high. For Intended parents, it can be comforting to know that approximately 75% of transfers result in pregnancy, that is when all necessary testing and screening is done to ensure both the health of the embryo and the health and ability to become pregnant of the surrogate. The even more comforting number is that 95% of surrogates who become pregnant from transfer go on to have a successful pregnancy.
  2. Hope: For many who have spent years in an infertility cycle, unable to conceive, have struggled with many unsuccessful attempts to get pregnant, surrogacy has become an alternative to carry a child and both a hope and answer to their struggle for them to be able to complete their family.
  3. Experience: The US has some of the worlds leading experts in reproductive technology and attorneys who are able to navigate both state and international laws regarding surrogacy. These knowledgeable and experienced professionals ensure that intended parents are in the best possible hands to ensure a safe and successful journey.
  4. Screening: Surrogates are physically and emotionally screened to ensure the health of the baby through responsible, healthy and qualified surrogates. Both the agencies that intended parents work with and the attorneys that protect their rights as parents ensure that all necessary screening has take place prior to embryo transfer.
  5. Genetic Connection: Surrogacy allows for intended parents to have a genetic connection to their child that they would be unable to have through other means of becoming parents.
  6. Relationships: Surrogate and intended parent relationships often flourish leading to bonds and lifelong relationships.
  7. Legal Protection: The legal framework that is put in place in the early stages of the surrogacy process, prior to transfer, allows for few surprises through the process. The intended parent’s rights as the parents of the child are established well in advance of the baby joining the world.
  8. Involvement: Surrogacy ensures that intended parents are involved in the pregnancy and birth at the level they desire to be, this is discussed with the surrogate early on to ensure that the level of involvement is something that both the surrogate and intended parents are comfortable with.
  9. Support: The right team of supporting and knowledgeable staff can alleviate both fears and stress and provide confidence throughout the surrogacy process. For most intended parents the surrogacy process is new to them, the process can seem overwhelming and the right support network in place and the right people working for you to ensure a smooth and successful journey can make all the difference.

Cons

  1. Complicated Process: Surrogacy can be an extremely complicated process and without the right staff helping you navigate the process to ensure that everything is done in the right order and at the right time it can be overwhelming.
  2. Financial Burden: The financial expense of surrogacy is a price tag that not everyone can afford, between compensating the surrogate, paying for all the medical procedures and agency support can lead to expenses upward to a hundred thousand dollars, and this is not a cost that many intended parents can incur.
  3. No Control: It can be difficult for intended parents at times to accept that the surrogacy journey is completely out of their hands, they are unable to control the process or the journey. They have to trust their doctors, their team and specifically their surrogate with their baby.
  4. Complicated Legal System: Laws are not static, they vary from state to state and require and in-depth analysis of the laws and process within which state they will be navigating their journey within. This is where having expert lawyers and teams in place really makes all the difference.