Is Surrogacy Safe?
An equal premise to start from would be: Is pregnancy safe? Surrogacy, like any other medical event or pregnancy, does have the potential for complication and risk. This is why with the proper screening that an agency can provide for you, the selection of qualified surrogates, and careful monitoring before, throughout, and after delivery it can be a safe and successful option for intended parents to have their own child. Of course, beyond medical considerations, there are also legal and emotional risks, too.
Most surrogacy is usually done through gestational surrogacy rather than traditional (sometimes called genetic) surrogacy. In gestational surrogacy, there is no genetic link between the carrier and the embryo that she is carrying. This is opposed to traditional surrogacy where the surrogate is also utilizing her own egg. Gestational surrogacy is the more generally accepted and frequently used option now as it reduces many emotional and legal complications. This also allows the IVF process to conduct genetic screening of the embryos, which reduces the risk of passing on genetic issues to the child.
As mentioned above, most surrogacy is done through IVF, also known as in vitro fertilization. IVF is also widely used outside of surrogacy and is accepted as a safe procedure with low medical risk. In gestational surrogacy, the resulting embryo from the IVF process is transferred into the surrogate's uterus. After the transfer and with careful monitoring through the fertility clinic, the embryo will implant in the gestational carrier’s uterus and the baby will grow like any other pregnancy. Once the pregnancy is established, medical care will be transferred to an OB that the surrogate and intended parents agree on. This is normally an OB with whom the surrogate has already developed a relationship already. There are inherent medical risks with any pregnancy and we always encourage both the gestational carrier and intended parents to speak to an OB about those risks.
There are emotional risks in the surrogacy process as well. Most surrogates will concur that they do not bond passionately with the surrogate babies they carry as they do with their own children, but they may experience some feelings of loss after the birth of the child. Some of those feelings or loss may also have to do with the change in relationship with the intended parents as they transition from having an intense bond during the pregnancy into a phase where the intended parents are now actively parenting (and very busy with a new baby!!) Working with an agency requires a meeting with a mental health professional before beginning the surrogacy process. This helps the gestational carrier know what to expect and understand that there are sometimes emotional complications during the journey.
As long as an attorney is consulted and proper legal steps are taken, the legal risks with surrogacy are low. The surrogate does need to live in a state where surrogacy is legal and all parties need to be represented by an attorney that is experienced in assisted reproductive technology law.
It is important that you work closely with an agency to help reduce the extra risks that can come with a surrogacy journey. The agency can walk you through these risks and how to avoid or lessen them to make the surrogacy journey less complicated and safer for both the intended parents and the surrogate.
Overall, while there are low risks involved with surrogacy, the procedure, and legal aspect can be carried out safely and effectively with the proper support.
If you are thinking of becoming a surrogate yourself or need help growing your family with a gestational surrogate reach out to us at brightfuturesfamilies.com with any questions or if you want to hear how we help mitigate any risks that can come up along the way.