Surrogacy can be an exciting and intimidating journey for the surrogate and intended parents. Several reasons can push someone to opt for surrogacy, such as endometriosis, single parenthood, infertility, or a conscious decision to have someone carry your baby for you.
It’s normal to be anxious and frightened if you’re considering surrogacy. The following guidelines will provide an overview of the six steps involved in your surrogacy journey.
1- Make The Decision
Growing your family through surrogacy is a long emotional journey. Before starting this process, you and your partner should carefully consider the pros and cons. You have to be invested both financially and emotionally.
Educate yourself on the risks involved and assess whether you are ready for a baby financially or if you would consider other options other than surrogacy. It helps to talk to surrogacy agencies and counselors if you are unsure. Once you decide you’re committed to the process, proceed to the next step below.
2- Surrogacy Preparation
Preparation will involve deciding the type of surrogacy you want and the surrogacy professionals you will be working with.
There are two surrogacy options to choose from.
Gestational Surrogacy
In this type of surrogacy, the child will not be biologically related to the child. Instead, an embryo is created using the intended mother’s egg and the intended father’s sperm. A donor egg and sperm may also be used for same-sex couples. The surrogate then undergoes in vitro fertilization (IVF) in a laboratory.
Traditional Surrogacy
With traditional surrogacy, the surrogate is the biological mother of the baby she carries. In this method, the surrogate’s own egg is fertilized with the intended father’s or a donor’s sperm using intrauterine insemination (IUI). The surrogate then carries the baby to term.
Keep in mind that every country has different legislation concerning surrogacy. Use the resources at your disposal to find out more about Argentina surrogacy. You will need a surrogacy agency to assist you with the matching, counseling, screening, case management, legal work, and support. A legal attorney will take you through the legal process but may not help with most of the surrogacy agency’s services.
Once you have understood the surrogacy types and the professionals involved, it is time to come up with your surrogacy plan. Your plan will entail your preferred agency or attorney, your donor, your surrogacy goals, whether you have a surrogate in mind or will need matching, and your surrogacy type.
Next, you will start the screening process, including home assessment, child abuse records, and criminal checks. Once your agency is done screening you and approves you for surrogacy, you will start the matching process and find a surrogate mother if required.
3- Matching
When working with an agency, your surrogacy specialist will interview you to get the information they will use to build your profile and create your surrogacy plan. The profile is presented to surrogate mothers or donors looking for surrogacy opportunities.
You can include photographs and additional information to help the potential surrogate know you better. You might also be allowed to browse similar surrogate profiles.
Once you identify a potential match, a meeting or phone call is arranged so that you can further interrogate and ascertain if it is indeed a perfect match. If you feel it’s a good match, you can take the next step in the surrogacy process.
4- Legal Requirements
A legal draft makes the deal official when the surrogate and intended parents agree. Your attorney will explain the legal implications, the compensation as agreed with your surrogate, and possible risks.
You will then meet with your surrogate and her lawyer, and if the draft is agreeable to both parties, you will all sign and make it legal.
Legalizing will give way to the next stage, fertilization, and pregnancy. When the first trimester lapses, your attorney should prepare the pre-birth order that legally recognizes you as the birth parents.
The pre-birth order lets you put your name on the birth certificate and make any medical decisions for your baby.
5- Fertilization and Embryo Transfer Stage
Embryo fertilization, egg retrieval, embryo transfer, and other medical procedures begin at this stage at an agreed medical facility.
After you confirm and can feel the baby’s heartbeat, you will start base compensation and monthly allowance for your surrogate.
It is prudent to give her all the support she needs to ensure a healthy pregnancy while she carries your baby to term.
6- Baby’s Delivery
After going through all the stages above, it is time to meet your baby. Upon discharge from the hospital, you go home with your baby, and the surrogate continues with their life elsewhere. You can choose to maintain a relationship with your surrogate if you wish.
Your surrogacy agency can organize this relationship and offer any support you require after the baby is born.
Conclusion
As you support your surrogate emotionally on the pregnancy journey, you should also prepare yourself psychologically and emotionally for the baby’s arrival and prepare adequately. With all the tips above, your surrogacy journey should be smooth and seamless.
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