There is an age-old question of whether or not surrogacy is an option for childless couples. Some are strongly in favor of gestational surrogacy while some argue against it, making references to ‘moral grounds.’ Although unregulated at the federal level, the issue on the legality of surrogacy is dependent on the statute and laws of the respective states.
Surrogacy is not prohibited in Arkansas, California, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Nevada, New Hampshire, Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, or West Virginia.
However, surrogacy agreements are either prohibited or strictly regulated in Arizona, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
In Alaska, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota and Wyoming, there are no legislations or statutes on surrogacy yet but the courts are generally supportive.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), between the years 1999 and 2013, gestational carrier cycles resulted in 13,380 deliveries and the birth of 18,400 infants. The study of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) also revealed that during the same period, that there had been a 4-time increase in the number of gestational carrier cycles during 1999–2013.
This increase may be due to several factors: increase in infertility in women, increase in the number of same-sex couples who wants to have children and an increase in the medical conditions in women that affect their long-term ability to carry a child.
So when does surrogacy become an option for a couple? Again, depending on the state, laws and regulations regarding surrogacy, the couple wanting to have a child may opt for gestational surrogacy.
There are many gestational surrogacy agencies that provide services for these couples. You can search the internet for more information about them or you ask your friends and relatives. You can also visit ConceiveAbilities Surrogacy Agency for information on what to look for in a reliable gestational surrogacy service.
When choosing a surrogate mother for your child, you need to consider many things. Factors such as the surrogate mother’s medical history, overall fitness and health and the kind of relationship you have and will continue to have after the birth of the child.
You also need to take into account the possible legal fees, agency fees, travel costs, hospital bills and vitamin and food budget. It is also advisable to have a lawyer or legal counsel in case any legal form, paper or issue may later on arise.
Although surrogacy and adoption are both very fulfilling ways to have a child, both have often been compared to each other. But what is the advantage of surrogacy over adoption? One advantage of surrogacy over adoption would be in the matter of genetics.
In gestational surrogacy, there is a possibility that either or both of the intended parents will be biologically related to the child. This will depend on the fertility of the mother’s egg and the father’s sperm. Adoption, on the other hand, does not have this biological connection.
When choosing surrogacy, you must not only be financially capable and ready, you must also be mentally and psychologically stable. Surrogacy can be as expensive as it is stressful.
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