Surrogacy for Intended Parents: Reasons to Need Surrogacy
Infertility
Many women are unable to become pregnant naturally or with the help of IVF alone. These women may or may not be able to create embryos using their own eggs.
Surrogacy offers a chance for women experiencing infertility to create families using the modern miracle of assisted/alternative reproduction.
Not Medically Fit to Carry
Many women are not medically fit to carry children for a variety of reasons that include genetics (e.g. certain blood disorders), disease (e.g. cancer), immunocompromised (e.g. organ transplant recipients), and past life-threatening pregnancies (e.g. severe preeclampsia).
If you’ve been advised by your doctor that it is risky or ill advised to consider pregnancy for a medical reason, surrogacy might be the best option.
LGBTQ and Surrogacy
Advancement in both general acceptance of non-traditional family structures as well as assisted and alternative reproduction technology has allowed for the creation of LGBTQ families. Tens of thousands of children are born each year to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender parents. Many consider access to surrogacy to be an LGBTQ human rights issue.
All loving Intended Parents and Surrogates are invited to use the Site regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Because of local laws governing parentage, however, as well as possible hesitancy from individual potential surrogates, we have included LGBTQ families as a matching point.
It’s important that everyone, but especially members of the LGBTQ community, consult with a trusted assisted reproduction-specializing attorney on your parental rights and all local surrogacy requirements.
Trauma/Fear of Pregnancy or Childbirth, Tokophobia
Trauma related to pregnancy or childbirth can have many origins including: hearing/witnessing or personally having a birth with severe complications, diagnosed general anxiety disorders, past sexual abuse or assault, vaginismus/pelvic floor disorders, or tokophobia which can originate without a known case.
Many medical professionals, including Reproductive Endocrinologists, are sympathetic to trauma as a reason to pursue surrogacy as an option. It’s important you discuss your options with them to see if surrogacy is the right path for you.
Vanity
A minority of Intended Parents explore surrogacy because they do not want to experience the non-medically significant body-altering effects of pregnancy. While some journeys are done for “vanity” reasons, many surrogates are reluctant to carry for Intended Parents that are able to become pregnant themselves. Additionally, some states prohibit surrogacy without a medical or biological reason. Intended Parents who are considering surrogacy for “vanity” reasons should consult an assisted reproduction attorney for more information. Where allowed, Intended Parents should discuss the arrangement with any potential surrogates so that she can make an informed decision about the match.
Want to get started finding a potential match for your independent surrogacy journey without going through a costly surrogacy agency? Start here!
