If you decided to explore surrogate parenting as a family-building option, you’ve probably learned many services are on the market. It is hard to determine how much help you need and find the proper surrogacy practice for your circumstances.
This article will introduce what a “Surrogacy” is and what you need to do for planning to get the best surrogates in California and other states. Some agencies have had a longstanding track record, while others are newer to the industry. A few international options are available through overseas surrogate due diligence services and legalities.
Surrogacy Planning: 10 Things Every Parent and Surrogate Should Know
1. Surrogacy is a kind of pregnancy arranged outside of the womb.
This means that the father, mother, and child are not genetically related; the surrogate mother is just an egg donor to be impregnated by the biological father. Your legal contract needs to state that there is no relationship between you, your spouse, and any offspring of surrogacy.
2. There are two kinds of surrogacy; traditional and gestational.
Traditional surrogacy is when one man will pay another man to be a surrogate father, while gestational surrogacy gives birth to the baby and carries it outside the surrogate’s womb. Both involve getting a hold of a woman as an egg donor who will carry the baby for you, either through her womb or your belly – Practically, no genetic relationship between you and your child through egg donation or pregnancy.
3. You have to choose the mother for surrogacy.
The egg donor or surrogate mother’s qualifications are significant to you and your family, but its their wish to decide if they do or not. They may want to discuss their legal responsibilities as a surrogate, what you want them to do, and their compensation in advance. It’s advisable to ask them questions before choosing a surrogate.
4. When selecting an egg donor or surrogate, many things to consider.
Who is going to be your egg donor? Is she healthy? Does she want children of her own? What are her motives for becoming a surrogate mother? These issues can be addressed by going through the right California surrogacy agency.
5. You will have to get your partner’s consent regarding surrogacy for you to proceed with a pregnancy.
To ensure it’s legal, you need your spouse’s consent for your surrogacy agreement. There is no legal connection between you and the child, so surrogacy is not considered a custody or child support issue. But in case of surrogacy is illegal in your state,, it’s best not to proceed with surrogacy or face penalties.
6. You will have to prove that the surrogate is not being mistreated.
Some states require legal documents to be drawn up by a lawyer, doctor, or an attorney for the process of surrogacy to be legal and for everyone involved to be protected. If there is no contract between you and the surrogate, it will be up to the surrogate to defend their legal rights by documenting the process in writing.
7. Legal rights as a surrogate mother are strictly determined by state law.
There are many surrogacy laws and bills passed by state legislatures to help improve the legal status of both parties in a surrogacy agreement. Moreover, as a surrogate mother, you would have to follow state law, as long as it’s legal.
8. Legal rights vary from state to state, but some form of compensation is required for surrogacy all over the US.
In order to maintain the rights of both parties, surrogacy agreements must be in writing. The written contract is usually made between you and the surrogate mother and must be signed by both parties. The compensation is usually around 15,000 dollars and can go up depending on how much you are willing to pay for surrogacy services.
9. If you decide to go with gestational surrogacy, you will need medical clearances and pre-birth tests.
Medical clearances are required for the surrogate mother to receive any medications and treatments that may interfere with the development of the pregnancy or its outcome. Most states require written consent from both parties for their surrogacy agreement to be legal. As legal as it is for you, fertility clinics will require pre-birth tests for the surrogate mother before she can have intercourse with you.
10. Don’t trust anyone who claims to be a surrogacy agency in California and other states.
There are so many scams that claim to be surrogacy agencies in California and other states. All you should do is follow the following simple guidelines:
I) Choose a reputable agency, not one that will tell you that they have an “elite” team of lawyers or doctors.
II) Find out the name and number of the actual person you can speak to regarding your surrogacy agreement.
III) Don’t trust an agency that wants money when you meet them.
High-quality egg donors, surrogates, and agencies will not ask you for money upfront. They require an upfront deposit only if they have already received a deposit from another woman who has already had a baby after surrogacy through them.
IV) Make sure that your surrogacy agency has a genuine website or an email address (Best Surrogacy Agency USA). If they send you a snail mail letter, that’s fine, but they should have a physical address where you can speak to them in person.
V) Check and double-check to ensure your chosen agency is legally licensed to operate as a surrogacy agency. Don’t trust whoever tells you that their company is from California and other states if they are not properly licensed. If they are not legally licensed, they can face criminal charges if caught.
Family building and surrogacy are no longer just a dream anymore. With all the possibilities that it offers, you can finally experience this in such a way that lets you feel you are becoming a father, not just by proxy. At Made in the USA Surrogacy, Best Surrogacy Agency USA we’re here to support, guide, help, and assist you throughout the process. We have first-hand experience, and therefore you can be sure we will provide hands-on, compassionate care for everyone who completes surrogacy (how much do surrogates make) parenting through our agency.