Adoption and traditional surrogacy have been around for thousands of years. Traditional surrogacy is when the surrogate uses her own egg and is the biological mother of the child. Gestational surrogacy was invented somewhat recently and allows a surrogate to carry an embryo via in vitro fertilization (IVF). The egg can be that of the intended mother or from an egg donor, so the surrogate has no biological connection to the child. This method has settled many of the ethical issues that arose with traditional surrogacy.
While there is a cost difference between surrogacy versus adoption, there are many reasons why couples choose surrogacy. Let’s talk about some of the most common reasons we hear from families.
Biological Connection
For many people, sharing DNA with their children is important.. Parents take pride when they look at their child and see a combination of both the father’s and mother’s traits. As children grow, parents see themselves in them when they notice similarities in their personalities and mannerisms. Through surrogacy, versus adoption, couples have the option to use both the intended father’s sperm and the intended mother’s egg.
Being a Part of the Pregnancy
Being involved in the pregnancy is a major difference in surrogacy versus adoption. With adoption, generally you are absent from pregnancy. With surrogacy, you are a part of the process the entire way, from the conception of the idea to the conception of the baby, to birth. Many surrogacy agencies encourage you to attend doctor visits with your surrogate to help start the bonding process. You get up to date ultrasounds and information, so you can see your baby grow from a small embryo to having tiny feet and hands, to your bundle of joy that’s ready to enter the world.
Health Screening and Prenatal Care
Health screening and prenatal care are also an extremely important difference between surrogacy versus adoption. Surrogacy ensures that surrogates are thoroughly screened for alcohol use, drug use, nicotine use, and diseases. Complete physicals are performed and a doctor must clear them to be candidates for surrogacy. Mental evaluations are also performed. Proper prenatal care is ensured through the surrogacy agency.
Long, Complicated Adoption Process
Adoption can drag on for years. At any time during the adoption process, the deal may fall through for numerous reasons. In surrogacy, your average time frame is around a year to two years.
Inability to Adopt
In some countries, there are laws against same-sex couples being able to adopt. Also, you can be denied based on a history of health complications. In these instances, surrogacy versus adoption is a saving grace for couples who want to start a family.
Legalities
In adoption versus surrogacy, the mother can change her mind and cancel the adoption before the baby is born. This is completely legal and can cause a lot of worries for the intended parents. In surrogacy, the case of Calvert vs. Johnson in 1990 cemented the ruling that the true mother of the baby is the one who intends to create and raise the child as stated in the surrogacy agreement. This case set the standard for future court battles. Today, your surrogacy contract ensures that you will receive the custody rights for your baby.
Visit www.familycreations.net to learn more about the surrogacy process. You can also listen to testimonials for intended parents and surrogates.