Surrogacy, An Old Method Of Childbearing
Surrogacy Has Been Around For Millenia
History is replete with stories of women who bore children for others. It's really not a new concept even though it appears to be that way these days. In recent years, surrogacy has become a legal and viable option for infertile couples to have a child that has at least a partial, if not whole, genetic connection to the parents. There are agencies today which specialize in helping connect commissioning couples with surrogate mothers and for those couples, it is the miracle they've been waiting to receive. The agency not only helps with the choosing of a surrogate mother, it also provides legal help for both the couple and the surrogate.
What Makes A Woman Decide To Become A Surrogate?
There seems to be a big question about why a woman would become a surrogate in the first place. Often, people refer to the fact that it can be very well paying and that surrogate mothers are well cared for during the process. That may be true, but when surrogate mothers voice their reasons, money is closer to the bottom of the list than to the top.
Most women who opt to become a surrogate mother do so for altruistic reasons. The reward is in being part of the larger picture of family. The ability to bring joy and fulfillment to a couple who have been unable to have children is, they say, an enriching experience and it is very satisfying. Many surrogate mothers become close friends with the commissioning couple and can remain actively involved with the family for many years. They may be commissioned again to help produce a sibling for the first child at a later time.
It's Not As Easy As It Sounds
Becoming a surrogate mother is no easy task and, depending upon the local and regional laws, legal requirements may vary. There are, however, some things that do remain constant including meeting and matching with the commissioning couple. The legal implications are critical to both sides, couple and mother, and must be dealt with accurately. There is testing, and determining whether the surrogacy will be full or partial. If the surrogate is involved with an agency or specific group, she goes through stringent psychological and physical screening to ensure she is capable of fulfilling the commitment.
Partial Or Full Surrogacy, There's An Emotional Investment
The emotional implications are huge for both the commissioning mother and the surrogate mother, especially if the surrogacy is partial-meaning the sperm of the father is mixed with the egg of the surrogate and artificially inseminated. This makes the baby genetically attached to the surrogate mother. In a full surrogacy, the surrogate provides a womb for an already fertilized egg from the couple which is then implanted through in vitro fertilization. There is no genetic connection between the surrogate and the baby.
Overall, it is most important to couples that the surrogate is healthy, with no significant medical or psychological difficulties, is emotionally and mentally sound and stable, is able to conceive easily and is responsible and mature enough to realize that the couple is placing a huge amount of trust in her to carry their child. At the end of it all, the baby belongs to the couple and not to her. She provides a most wonderful service and is rewarded for doing so.
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