What is surrogacy? A Full Guide for Everyone

India Surrogacy Rules

Surrogacy is a unique technique for people to become parents when they can't have a baby on their own. It's like having a friend help you carry your baby. This book will explain everything about surrogacy in a way that is easy for everyone to grasp.

What Surrogacy Is

A woman (called a surrogate) agrees to carry and give birth to a child for another person or couple in a surrogacy agreement. The surrogate assists by letting the baby grow in her body, but the baby is still the property of the couple who wanted it (called the intended parents).

You want to grow a flower, but your garden isn't working as it should. A nice neighbor lets you plant your seed in her garden and takes care of it. You can take the flower home when it blooms. It's still your flower. Surrogacy works the same way with babies.

How Surrogacy Works

There are various steps in the surrogacy process:

  • Making the Baby: Doctors utilize a method called IVF (in vitro fertilization) to make embryos in a lab. They combine an egg from the desired mother (or a donor) with sperm from the intended father (or a donor).
  • Finding a Surrogate: The parents-to-be work with doctors or organizations to find a healthy woman who is willing to help them. The surrogate has to undergo a lot of health exams and interviews.
  • Transfer Process: A straightforward medical procedure puts the embryo into the surrogate's uterus. The surrogate then carries the baby for roughly nine months.
  • Birth and Beyond: The intended parents take the baby home as planned from the start when the baby is born.

Different Kinds of Surrogacy

  • Gestational Surrogacy: This is the most popular type these days. The surrogate is pregnant with an embryo created from the egg and sperm of the intended parents or donors. The surrogate is not related to the kid in any way. This kind is safer legally and emotionally because the surrogate isn't the child's biological parent.
  • Traditional Surrogacy: The surrogate uses her egg, so she is the baby's biological mother. This type is less popular currently because it can produce problems with the law and with feelings.

Who Needs a Surrogate?

  • Medical Reasons: Some women can't bear a baby because they don't have a uterus, have had it removed, or have health problems that make pregnancy dangerous.
  • Same-Sex Couples: Male couples need a surrogate and an egg donor to have a biological child.
  • Single Parents: Men or women who are single may choose surrogacy to have kids.
  • Age-Related Issues: Older women may need surrogacy because pregnancy gets harder and riskier as they get older.

Benefits of Surrogacy

  • Genetic Connection: Many people who want to be parents can have a biological child that shares their DNA.
  • Involvement in Pregnancy: Intended parents can be involved in the whole pregnancy, going to appointments and being there for the birth.
  • Higher Success Rates: Surrogacy usually has a higher success rate than other ways to get pregnant.
  • Complete Families: Surrogacy can finally help people realize their dream of being parents.

Safety and Legal Issues

The rules about surrogacy are very different in different parts of the world. In some countries, like India, only altruistic surrogacy is permissible. This means that the surrogate doesn't get paid for anything but medical costs. Commercial surrogacy, where surrogates are paid, is legal in some other nations.

Important legal protections include:

  • Contracts in writing that protect everyone's rights
  • Clear agreements about who the legal parents are
  • Insurance that pays for medical bills
  • Therapy for everyone involved

Costs in Different Parts of the World

  • United States: $100,000 to $200,000
  • Canada: $70,000 to $90,000
  • Eastern Europe (Ukraine and Georgia): $50,000 to $60,000
  • Mexico and Colombia: $40,000 to $75,000
  • India: $25,000–$50,000 (only for good reasons)

Rates of Success

By the Age of the Parents:

  • Under 35: About 55% success rate
  • 35 to 37 years: About 42%
  • 38 to 40 years: About 27%

General Statistics: The CDC says that gestational surrogacy is the most successful fertility procedure, with a success rate of roughly 75% in the US. The live birth rate might be as high as 95% after a surrogate gets pregnant.

5 Common Questions About Surrogacy

  1. Will the surrogate mother keep the baby? No, the surrogate agrees from the start that the baby will go to the intended parents after birth. Legal contracts make this clear.
  2. Is surrogacy costly? Yes, surrogacy can be expensive. Costs vary by country and include medical, legal, and surrogate expenses.
  3. Is it possible for anyone to be a surrogate? No, surrogates must meet strict health and background criteria, usually aged 21–40.
  4. Is surrogacy safe? Yes, with proper medical and legal support, surrogacy is generally safe.
  5. What is the importance of surrogacy? Surrogacy allows people who can't naturally conceive to become parents and grow families with love.

For many families throughout the world, surrogacy gives them hope. It has helped thousands of people realize their goals of becoming parents, even though it includes complicated medical, legal, and emotional issues.

With the right help from doctors and lawyers, surrogacy may be a good thing that makes families full of love.