A surrogate mother is usually a woman who already has completed at least one pregnancy and lives a healthy lifestyle, in a positive environment. The assisted reproduction doctor and psychologists will determine if the candidate should or should not proceed.
A readily created embryo will be positioned gingerly in your healthy uterus. Therefore, it is irrelevant if you have had your tubes tied.
There are many reasons why a couple may not be able to carry their own baby. Thanks to advances in assisted reproductive technology, today these couples achieve their dreams of becoming parents; and thanks to in vitro fertilization the baby resulting from the process will have the genetics of one or both parents. For many couples, having a genetic connection with their baby is very important. They prefer this method to adopting a baby already born. In the State of Florida it is necessary for the couple to show a medical reason why they cannot carry, such as: lack of uterus, multiple losses and cases in which it can be risky for the mother to carry a pregnancy. For these and many other reasons, the only way that the couple can become parents is with the help of a surrogate mother.
Absolutely not. The baby you’ll carry is created by fertilization in vitro using the ovum of the future mother (or her egg donor) and the sperm of her partner. Therefore, the baby will not be of the same genetics of the surrogate mother. The baby does not look like her nor like any member of her family. Any questions about this procedure and its risks must be asked of the assisted reproduction doctor who will help the surrogate mother become pregnant.
The assisted reproduction doctor makes the surrogate mother pregnant. Once the ultrasound shows the baby’s heartbeat, the surrogate mother goes under the care of an obstetrician of her choice. The surrogate mother is the patient and as such has the last word in terms of her health care. The Intended Parents pay for the services of the obstetrician through health insurance and are responsible for any co-pays, deductibles, co-insurance, and all additional costs.
The final decision about additional procedures during the pregnancy falls on the surrogate mother and her obstetrician. Before entering a surrogacy agreement, both sides will discuss the possibilities of having to undergo such procedures. There are situations in which it is recommended that the surrogate mother undergo an amniocentesis when eggs or sperm are from an older person. There are cases in which the obstetrician may recommend an abortion in the case of defects in the fetus. Before entering into the surrogacy agreement, these situations are discussed so that the surrogate mother’s decision is not an unexpected point for the couple.
The surrogate mother is compensated for all of her expenses and losses due to the surrogate pregnancy. Expenses include the costs of doctors and psychologists, costs of living, prenatal care, pregnant women’s clothing, transportation and loss of revenue due to bed rest as determined by your obstetrician.
The process of surrogacy is completely legal in the State of Florida. To ensure a process without surprises, the couple desiring to be parents will hire two attorneys: one to represent them and one to represent the surrogate mother. In this way there is no conflicts of interest and the needs of both parties are taken into consideration. The agreement details all fees and bonuses in favor of the surrogate mother. When the baby is born, prospective parents take immediate custody of the baby(ies). If there were no unexpected difficulties, the Courts grant parentage to the couple desiring to be parents. It is possible that the State of Florida will require a home study but most of the time this adoption is treated as a step-parent adoption case since the baby has the genetics of one or both parents. Once the Court approves the case, the names of the couple desiring to be parents is included on the birth certificate. Lawyers facilitate all this legal process.
In that case a new attempt is tried again as many times as the parties have agreed to in the surrogacy agreement and as recommended by the physician of assisted reproduction and the obstetrician.
The responsibility of that baby rests upon the intended parents. The surrogate mother has no obligations towards the baby(ies) no matter the reason(s) why the baby(ies) has such malformations, illness, etc.