Steps to Being a Surrogate

Becoming a surrogate is a wonderful thing but there are many things to think about before you take that leap.

There are 2 different types of surrogates, gestational and traditional. A gestational surrogate is one who does not carry a child that is biologically related to her. A traditional surrogate would be carrying her own biological child.

In a popularity contest, gestational surrogacy would win hands down. It's much easier for women to be able to separate themselves from the child bonding knowing that there is no biology linking them, therefore, you find many more gestational surrogates than you do traditional surrogates.

Have you had a child before? I don't know of any reproductive endocrinologists that will work with a surrogate who has never had a child before. Proven fertility is a wonderful thing in this case. There are some intended parents who want a traditional surrogate and just want a baby so much they would be willing to work with anyone, proven fertility or not. I highly suggest that if you haven't had at least 1 child, its best to wait until you are truly done with your own family that you do not think about becoming a surrogate. If you haven't gone through a pregnancy or birth you have no way of knowing how you would feel toward that child and this can make the whole experience awful when its supposed to be a wonderful and beautiful thing.

A gestational surrogate will also have to take medications, usually quite a few of them. They are not all oral either. Some are injectibles, meaning you would have to give yourself a shot, or 2, daily for some time. Others are vaginal meds, another could be a patch, and still there are oral meds too. Would you be ok with all of that, also knowing that there are no long term studies on the effects these meds could have on your body?