An epigrammatic synopsis on surrogacy

A woman giving birth to a child for intended parents is referred as surrogate. Couples seek proxy arrangement when they are not able to carry the risk of pregnancy or can’t able to conceive due to serious problems. Couples hire surrogates through agencies or attorneys. A proxy can conceive proposed couple’s child through the gestational process or a traditional process. But, most often, parents and doctors opt for gestational process as it is associated with less legal issues and is lower in risk. Artificial insemination and embryo transfer play a vital role in fulfilling the dreams of intended parent’s surrogacy.

A proxy lady can achieve pregnancy through the following ways;

Artificial insemination:

Artificial Insemination (AI) is a premeditated process where the male sperms are introduced to female’s oviduct in order to achieve pregnancy. It is a medical alternative to natural insemination. This medical alternative is used, when couples hire surrogates to complete their family. Through this process, the lady becomes pregnant without involving in sensual intercourse.

Gestational surrogacy:

In this process, embryo or zygote is created by In-vitro fertilization by using the ovules and sperms of the intended couple. Thus, the child born by this procedure is genetically related to parents and biologically unrelated to a surrogate.

In some cases, the proposed father sperm and a donor ovum are fertilized through IVF. Later, the zygote is injected to a surrogate womb. Baby born through this process is genetically related to the intended father and unrelated to a proxy.

When the donor embryo is injected to the proxy’s womb, she becomes pregnant. The baby born through this procedure is genetically not related to both intended parents and surrogate, as well.

Traditional Surrogacy:

Intended father donates his sperms in clinic, these sperm is later injected to a proxy lady. The baby born through this process is genetically relevant to the proposed father and a surrogate.

Couples, who wish to enjoy parenthood by intended parent’ssurrogacy, can contact agencies and attorneys to hire a healthy lady as surrogate.

Legal issues:

When a lady becomes pregnant in a traditional procedure, the baby is genetically relevant to her and the intended father. In most of the cases, surrogates find it hard to relinquish the child since it is related to her. When she refuses to give the baby to the intended parents, it gives rise to the lawsuits and the 

The value of a surrogate mother

In the present scenario, due to the advancement in medical field, childless couple can expect their own baby by hiring surrogates. These women give one of the greatest gifts for the childless couples. They play a significant role in an infertile couple’s life by fulfilling their dream of parenthood. However, in return proxies expect remuneration from the couple. The price and demands of a proxy mother may vary depending upon the situations and circumstances. 

Therefore, it is impossible to give an exact figure of the price paid to these women. However, carrying a pregnancy embroils health issues which a woman should sustain during her pregnancy and the money paid to her can’t compensate for her struggle and pain tolerated in the period.

The surrogate mother cost may depend upon various factors. The significant factor calculated in cost is age of the egg and it is important to consider whether a woman is using her own egg or a donor egg. Couples need to pay more if the mother gives birth to twins. The amount paid to surrogate women includes medical and psychological screening costs, proxy fee, medication fee, legal document cost and insurance cost. The cost may also vary on the attempts to become pregnant. If a woman becomes pregnant in first attempt, the cost may approximately range between USD 140,380 to USD 160,380 including the entire medication fee.

Additionally, the surrogate mother cost may increase if a lady has multiple babies in her womb. This can be found only after 12 weeks of pregnancy through ultra sound test. However, it is important to understand that money alone cannot compensate the pain and psychological distress sustained by a surrogate mother. 

Surrogacy – a boon for sterile couple

Surrogacy is a process where a woman gives birth to a baby for sterile couples. It is a boon for women who sustained multiple miscarriages or problem in conceiving. A uterus less women can opt for a proxy lady. Gay male couples who wish to have a baby with a chromosomal connection may choose surrogates. Normally, couples who are not succeeded in “first-line” assisted reproductive technology treatment such as vitro fertilization, cryopreservation, intrauterine insemination and intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatments can seek help from proxies.  Surrogacy is a process in which a woman carries a baby of intended couples.

Surrogate pregnancy is achieved through gestational proxy process and traditional proxy process. Gestational process is preferred by the professionals rather than traditional process. A woman becomes pregnant when the fertilized eggs are injected in her womb during the monthly ovulation. Eggs taken from the intended mother is fertilized with the sperms of intended father. The eggs are fertilized outside the human body. Later, these eggs are injected into the womb of ladies during the monthly ovulation. This procedure is repeated until the women achieve pregnancy. Women, then carry the baby until birth. The baby born through this procedure is genetically not related to the lady. However, when a lady becomes pregnant through traditional way, the baby is genetically relevant to the mother.

However, surrogate pregnancy may cause some stress for the ladies as multiple parties involve in the procedure. For intended parents, it is important to value the feelings of a surrogate mother as the lady is agreed to give the most valuable gift by sustaining the pains and health issues associated with pregnancy.

The pros and cons of being a surrogate mother

When couple fails to have a child due to medical problems, they turn to surrogates for help. Women who give birth to a baby that is harmonically not relevant to her is considered surrogate. Proxy women play a valuable role in the life of sterile couple in building their families. But, a lady who wishes to become a substitute should understand all the consequences she needs to face during her pregnancy. Potential proxy mothers are required to undergo frequent medical tests and different procedures to ensure that her body is appropriate to conceive. The medical procedures may vary from one person to another person. A proxy lady needs to undergo all the tests prescribed by a doctor to give birth for a healthy child.

A substitute lady should respect and understand the feelings of the people who opted for intended parent’s surrogacy as they have undergone frequent disappointments of losing a child. The important fact is that, a proxy lady has to deal with the insemination process. This may be a little painful and also there may be considerable side effects for which she has to take different medications. A substitute lady and a couple who choose for intended parent’s surrogacy has to consider ethical values. Many people consider surrogacy as a “baby-selling” due to a huge amount associated with this process. It is up to the couples and women to deal with these issues. A proxy lady should control her emotional attachment with the baby growing in her womb. A substitute lady has to respect her contract made with the intended couple. She should be ready to surrender the baby after birth. Women have to consider all these consequences before choosing for a surrogacy.

The cost of surrogacy - 2014

The surrogacy costs and donor remuneration vary from country to country and it solely depends on where the intended parents opt for surrogacy journey. However, in this blog we provide a basic overview on the cost of surrogacy in the United States of America. Some agencies prescribe an approximate fee of $20,000 upon signing agreements between proxy and intended parents. The legal fee may cost around $10,000 to $16,000 which briefly describes the parental rights and compensation paid to a surrogate. The pre-birth order application should be submitted to the court before 14 weeks of surrogate’s pregnancy. If the intended parents choose an egg donor, they need to pay extra amount of $17,000 to $35,000 which may vary upon the type of donor chosen by the biological parents.

In gestational surrogacy, embryo is transferred to the uterus of a gestational carrier through in-vitro fertilization therapy. The IVF treatment may cost around $23,000 to $30,000. Apart from this, intended parents need to bear the expenses of psychologist fee, travel fee, health insurance fee and agent’s fee. However, agencies explain the cost of surrogacy before signing a contract.

In some of the cases, couples need to remunerate extra fee of $3000 to $5000 if a proxy gives birth to twins. Embryo transfer may charge around $1000 to $1500. If a proxy loss the uterus, fallopian tube or any organs in the body, couples have to pay $3000, $1200, and $5000 respectively.

Couples need to create an ESCROW account in the name of a proxy. It is a service where a monthly compensation is paid to the proxy. The ESCROW fee may be around $700. 

Egg donation is a boon for sterile couples

Egg donation is a process through which the ovum of women is collected for assisted reproduction and biomedical purpose. In case of assisted reproductive technology (ART), the ovules of women are used in In-vitro fertilization process. The eggs collected by the women are fertilized in the laboratory by combing it with the sperms. Infrequently, the ovules are frozen and stored in a laboratory for later use of intended parents. Normally, egg bequest is a main part of ART and the ASRM (American Society of Reproductive Medicine) and FDA has issued particular guidelines for ovum bequest.

Ovum donation is required for many reasons. When a female partner is unable to have genetic children or the chances of pregnancy are considerably low, they can seek help from ovum contributors. Added to this, some ladies are born without ovaries and are unable to give birth to their own child. In some cases, women reproductive organ is removed due to infections or other circumstances. In certain situations, due to a genetic disorder, women cannot give birth to a child as there may be more chances of transmission of diseases to the baby. But, in some cases, although women have none of these issues, they are still not able to conceive. In other words, these women suffer from undiagnosed infertility and thus turn towards egg donor. Gay male couple also uses ovum bequest and seek help from surrogates to complete their family.

Anonymous and semi-anonymous egg donors are recruited by the donor agencies and IVF clinics. In some countries such as UK, the law entails non-anonymity ovule contributors but, in some countries like Spain, South Africa, France and Czech Republic, the law entails anonymity egg contributors.

An overview on types and process of surrogacy

Carrying pregnancy on behalf of infertile couple is defined as surrogacy and the women who accept this agreement or arrangement is recognized as surrogate mother. There are two main types of substitution, gestational proxy and traditional proxy. In gestational surrogacy method women become pregnant when embryos are injected into the stomach. This process as also recognized as “In-Vitro fertilization” (IVF) through which the egg is fertilized by sperm outside the human body. It has been considered a major medication for sterility.  The baby born through IVF process is genetically not related to a surrogated mother.

In traditional process, women become pregnant through the natural or artificial procedure. If a lady wishes to give birth for a child through traditional artificial process, the sperm of the intended father is regularly injected to a surrogate mother’s womb during monthly ovulation until her pregnancy. The baby born through this manner is genetically related to a proxy mother. But, gestation process is highly recommended to the surrogates rather than traditional procedure. Since, gestational procedure is considered less legally complex when compared to conventional procedure, it is recommended by most the doctors.

Childless couple can opt for surrogates when medical issues declare conceiving is risky for women. Infertile couple or women who are not able to conceive may seek a proxy agreement. If a proxy mother receives compensation beyond the medical expenses, such arrangement is named as commercial proxy.  However, the legitimacy and compensation may vary depending upon the jurisdictions and the arrangement.