Surrogacy, the Inside Scoop!
I have been working in the Surrogacy field for nearly 18 years. I can say unequivocally a lot has changed over the years. When I started in the field, people were not very familiar with surrogacy, I would see a deer in a headlight look when I told them I ran a company that helps people build their families through surrogacy. Fast forward to today and people are very accepting, they see it in the news, they see it on social media, and very often I hear “oh, my sister was a surrogate, my friend was a surrogate” and so on.
What is Surrogacy?
Typically, when you hear about surrogacy in the media they are referring to “Gestational Surrogacy”. Gestational surrogacy involves IVF with the eggs of the intended mother or those of an egg donor. This arrangement means that the surrogate is not genetically related to the child. Embryo’s are created and then transferred to a Gestational surrogate who has no relation to the embryos/baby. The Gestational Surrogate carries and delivers the baby and then the baby is immediately placed in the care of the Intended Parents, following birth. The surrogate is the oven, but the bun is genetically related to the Intended Parents.
Why would someone choose Surrogacy? Infertility affects 1 in 6 couples!
There are many reasons as to why a person may need a surrogate to help grow their family. These can range from being a gay male couple who need a surrogate and egg donor to grow their family, to having a medical condition that can make carrying a pregnancy impossible or very dangerous to both the mother and baby. However, the most common reason is Infertility. Infertility affects 1 in 6 couples! That is a staggering number, surrogacy allows these loving couples to achieve their dream of family.
Why don’t they just adopt?!
Occasionally, I hear “Why don’t they just adopt, there are lots of babies who need good homes”. A big sigh, it really drives me bonkers when I hear this argument against surrogacy. The fact of the matter is, adoption is very complicated, there are very few babies that need to be adopted in the U.S., far less than there are hopeful adoptive parents. Most of these children are in the foster care system where the goal is reunification with their birth parents. Adoption can be a very rocky and uncertain road and while it is a blessing for many it can also be filled with uncertainty and heartache. In terms of expense it ends up being around the same cost for hopeful parents to pursue adoption as it does surrogacy. Adoption tends to be more challenging for gay couples, single parents, or parents with slightly advanced maternal/paternal age. Both surrogacy and adoption are wonderful and viable ways of growing a family and neither are bad, they are just different paths to parenthood with different challenges and blessings.
At my company, Family Creations, we strive to help everyone achieve their dreams of a family while respecting their right to choose how they want to make it happen.
Becoming a Surrogate
We currently have thousands of registered Intended Parents who are in need of a Surrogate. One of the most rewarding experiences you can have in your lifetime is surrogacy! After all, there are few things more valuable than giving yourself the opportunity to make another person’s dream of having a child come true. They’ll always be grateful for your gift of family and life, and you can always feel good about having such a positive impact on someone else long term.
Benefits of Surrogacy
- Make a huge difference in a loving person’s life- help the 1-6 couples struggling with infertility achieve their dream of a family.
- Achieve your own personal goals with the generous compensation package you will earn as a surrogate! Family Creations’ surrogate carriers receive up to $85,000+, fully paid travel, maternity clothing, childcare, health insurance, and housekeeping.
- At Family Creations it is our top priority and our commitment to make surrogacy an experience that all parties can look back on and feel great about for the rest of their lives! You will have a dedicated case manager who will be with you every step of the way, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year! You receive therapy support sessions and the opportunity to join a super fun surrogate support group where all of our surrogates connect with one another. At Family Creations we are all in this together and right by your side.
- You can continue to work or go to school or stay at home throughout your surrogacy journey. Imagine having the financial resources to stay at home with your children or earning a surrogate compensation on top of your own current salary!
Surrogate Eligibility Requirements
To start, you must be at least 21 years old and no older than 39. You must be healthy and have a BMI (body mass index) under 32. You cannot be a drug user or smoker, and you must have at least one child yourself and no major pregnancy complications in your health history.
If you think surrogacy could be right for you, please consider applying today!
*** Written by By Julia McConnell, CEO Family Creations, LLC.
