Surrogacy is a legal agreement, whereby a woman (Surrogate) agrees to carry a full term pregnancy. There are two types of surrogacy, traditional and gestational surrogacy. Under traditional surrogacy, the surrogate is artificially inseminated with the father’s sperm whereas in gestational surrogacy the biological parents will remain the donors of the egg and the sperm.
For Whom ...
Surrogacy can be considered in cases where pregnancy is too risky to be carried by the biological mother, there are medical issues with the uterus or the mother has conditions that can make pregnancy life-threatening. One can also opt for surrogacy if they are not able to get pregnant with a variety of assisted-reproduction techniques, such as IVF.
Risk:
Surrogacy is a safe option to have a child and it has a high success rate. But with all its benefits, parents need to be aware of the risks that are associated with surrogacy. Here are the risks that involve surrogacy:
Infection: Chances are that the surrogate could experience cramping or bleeding after the procedure. The surrogate might also have to inject herself with hormone injections that can lead to allergies.
Transmission of Disease: Sometimes biological parents do not undergo screening processes for genetic diseases. Since the biological mother’s oocyte is in the uterus of the surrogate. Transmission of the infectious disease is possible and can be risky. If the surrogate is at risk, she might end the pregnancy.
Safety: A couple may ask their family members or close friends to act as surrogates. Although it might work for some, experts advise otherwise. There is no safety net if one of the parties backs out of the agreement.
The Process
Surrogacy is an intended journey between couples who desire to have a child, a Surrogate, a surrogate caretakers and an IVF centre.
• The Surrogate and the donor should be in sound physical and mental health
• A proper Communication between all concerned about medical procedure involved with probable duration and risk factors.
• All legalities to be discussed and completed as per guidelines suggested.