The thought of having another woman, sometimes a stranger, go through an assisted pregnancy to give birth to your child and later transfer all her parental rights to you can be terrifying. Rightfully so, given the sensitive nature of the process. You want to ensure everything, including the surrogate, the generative cell, and the pregnancy is standard for a successful surrogacy process.
The first and most challenging step in the surrogacy process is finding the perfect match for the surrogacy. Since your relationship with the surrogate will be legally binding, your understanding of the USA surrogacy laws of your state will be required. More importantly, prior knowledge of the critical factors to consider when finding a suitable surrogate will be helpful in successfully starting the process.
Here is a list of essential factors to look out for when finding your future surrogate.
1. Check Your Surrogate’s Health Record
Medical screening is mandatory for all prospective surrogates. It is only safe to proceed with the process if the physician approves it. You are highly likely to have a successful surrogacy if your surrogate has prior experience carrying a pregnancy to term without significant complications. This can be determined by a surrogacy expert and a fertility specialist.
This information is important because the baby’s and the surrogate’s lives depend on it.
2. All Surrogate Requirements Should be Met
There are physical, psychological, and screening qualifications that your surrogate should demonstrate to be considered suitable for the role. Physically, your ideal surrogate should be 21 years old and above, a parent of at least one, clear of anxiety and antidepressant drugs in the past year, and without a fresh tattoo from the past year, among others.
Surrogacy is demanding, hence the surrogate’s need for emotional and psychological stability. Ensure you get professional word from the surrogacy expert concerning your future surrogate before deciding. Hence, the following factor: commitment capacity.
3. What’s Your Surrogate’s Capacity to Commit?
Your surrogate should be well-versed with all the risks and implications of their future role. They should know their legal, medical, and social responsibilities towards the baby and you.
Ensure the surrogate receives complete information on the possibility of emotional, mental, and physical stress from carrying the pregnancy. Will the surrogate be willing to go through counseling during the nine months to help with the possible emotional attachment to the baby?
4. Support System
Finding out your surrogate’s support system is vital as this will determine if they will receive as much help as they require during the pregnancy. Your surrogate should be able to receive day-to-day assistance from close friends, family, and yourselves. This issue should be discussed, arranged, and agreed upon before the process is executed.
In Conclusion
Surrogacy is the most honorable yet sensitive subject in modern-day conversations. A successful surrogacy is achieved if the pregnancy is carried to term, followed by a delivery free of complications. The fundamental determinant of this success is the surrogate hence the need for intense scrutiny and assessment to find the most suitable surrogate.
