When it comes to becoming a parent, the world is divided into four main kinds of people. The first group consists of people who simply cannot wait to have children, and have a large family. The second group knows that they definitely want children. The third group is undecided as to whether they want children or not. Then there is the last group, in which people want children, but their lifestyle or a medical condition does not allow them to.
For this last group, surrogacy becomes an option. Basically, this is an agreement made between two parties, wherein a woman is selected to be the gestational carrier. The fertilized egg of the other party will be implanted into the woman, and she will carry it to term. When the baby is born, the woman will be compensated, and the other party will have a biological child.
There are several different kinds of people who choose surrogacy. These people could include both heterosexual and homosexual couples, or even single people under the right circumstances. In order to get the process started, the couple will first have to find a fertility agency that will place them with a gestational carrier.
Actually, there are two different ways that the parties might meet in order to begin the surrogacy process. In the first scenario, the couple or the individual will need to fill out an application form. It is rather like the adoption process, in which the agency will want to know that the applicants have a good background and will be able to raise children successfully.
Once the application has been processed a gestational carrier will review the application and decide whether or not she would like to enter into a surrogacy agreement with the other party. An initial meeting will be scheduled, and if all things go well, then a contract will be issued.
In the second scenario, it is the couple or individual who will choose the gestational carrier. Women who are interested in becoming gestational carriers will apply to do so via the fertility agency. The ideal candidate will be a woman who has already had a family of her own. Additionally, if the woman is still married, the permission of the spouse will be needed. In her application, the woman might also be asked to provide pictures of her children. Obviously, it goes without saying that the gestational carrier will be drug free.
While the specifics of the contract between the two parties will vary, all of the medical expenses of the gestational carrier will be provided for by the party whose child she has been implanted with. Also, the party should be actively participating in all of the woman's ultrasounds and prenatal checkups.
The thing that deters some women from being gestational carriers is thinking that once they give birth to the child, all contact will be cut off. This is very rarely the case, since a lifelong friendship often develops between the two parties. Also, the gestational carrier has the option to choose a family who will make sure to honour the important role that this woman has played in giving their child life.
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