Bad Things About Surrogacy

Surrogacy allows couples who are infertile or unable to carry a baby to have a child of their own. The surrogate mother carries their baby, either conceived using the infertile couple̵7;s eggs and sperm, using donor eggs or sperm or using the eggs of the surrogate mother and the sperm of the father. While surrogacy is sometimes the only option for those unable to have their own child, surrogacy has its problems.

  1. IVF Issues

    • If you use gestational surrogacy (where the intended mother̵7;s eggs are fertilized with her partner̵7;s sperm), you will have to use IVF, where the egg is fertilized and then implanted in the surrogate mother. Some clinics do not support surrogacy, and the process of IVF can be long and difficult with poor success rates.

    Expense

    • A surrogate birth can cost up to $80,000 depending on which agency you use, what fertility treatments are required to get the surrogate pregnant and the legal costs. This can become financially crippling for the average couple.

    Legality

    • Different states have different laws regarding surrogacy, and these need to be investigated fully before entering into any agreement with a possible surrogate mother. There are 11 states that actually prohibit some or all surrogacy agreements, and some states require the intended parents to be married.

    Surrogate Mother

    • The surrogate mother may become emotionally attached to the child and refuse to give the baby up. Where this leaves the intended parents varies by state and country. Some states will honor the agreement if the child is unrelated to the surrogate mother and related to the intended parents. But if you live in the UK, the surrogate can keep the child, even if the intended parents are the genetic parents ̵1; the woman who gives birth to the child is always seen as the legal mother.

    The Child

    • The situation will have to be explained to the child at some point in her lives. This could prove confusing for the parents, the child and the surrogate mother. Whether the child has any contact with the surrogate mother needs to be negotiated between the intended parents and the surrogate, as some surrogates may wish to be involved with the child while others may wish to remain anonymous

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • Subchorionic Hemorrhage in Pregnancy
      Any time that you have bleeding during pregnancy, it is cause for concern. While there are many reasons that you may have spotting or bleeding in pregnancy, most are harmless. A subchorionic hemorrhage may or may not be worrisome, depending on the
    • Does Bed Rest During Pregnancy Really Help?
      Why Is Bed Rest Prescribed?Some doctors suggest bed rest for conditions like growth problems in the baby, high blood pressure or preeclampsia, vaginal bleeding from placenta previa or abruption, preterm labor, cervical insufficiency, threatened misca
    • Signs of Labor for Women With Fast Labors
      Some pregnant women experience fast labor, also known as precipitate labor. This means the labor and birth can happen in less than three hours versus a normal labor, which typically averages about 12 hours. Although fast labor may seem ideal, it give