What Exactly is a “Surrogate Mother?”
A Surrogate mother, in a sense, is a mother substitute. Through means of artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization, a woman can choose to carry a child for a couple, or an individual, who are unable to have children.
Basically surrogacy exists in two forms: gestational and traditional surrogacy. “Gestational surrogacy” involves taking an embryo from the intended parent or parents and implanting it into the surrogate through in vitro fertilization. “Traditional surrogacy” is when a woman is artificially inseminated with sperm donated by the intended parent or parents. In traditional surrogacy, the child is the biological offspring of the surrogate mother.
I Live in California. Where Should I Begin?
If you hope to become a parent through surrogacy, the first thing you need to do is make sure you have the financial means to pay for it. You should have at least $20,000 saved up before you begin with the ability to liquidate or borrow at least another $100,000 before all is said and done. Paying for a surrogate can cost roughly between $20,000 and $120,000.
California has one of the highest surrogate birth rates in the country. Numerous agencies exist that help match intended parents and surrogate mothers in California. However, you may want to ask friends and relatives first to see if one of them wants to provide this special service for you. But keep in mind, even friends and family members will still have medical expenses, support costs and deserve fair compensation.
What to Look for in a Surrogate Mother
Any woman you are considering to be a surrogate mother for your child should have a comprehensive medical exam and screenings for sexually transmitted diseases, which can be passed to infants during pregnancy and birth.
Agencies will assist you in the screening process, but you also need to be evaluating your potential surrogate mother. You will want to make sure she is physically, mentally and emotionally well.
Some mental issues that might cause a woman to be unfit as a surrogate are developmental delays and psychological disorders. A woman who is mentally disabled may not fully understand the terms and conditions of what she is doing. This can cause serious problems for everyone involved when the baby arrives. Mental disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are exacerbated during pregnancy and could put the surrogate and the child at risk of harm. You also run the risk of the surrogate mother passing the conditions on to the child.