It’s completely natural for couples to decide that their next phase of life is to start a family, but not every couple can go the conventional route of the woman becoming pregnant. For some, serious obstacles—sometimes medical—prevent this path from being feasible, but surrogacy, where one woman becomes pregnant on behalf of a couple, is a popular alternative for many.
However, the most important component of a surrogate mother’s pregnancy is, unsurprisingly, the surrogate mother herself. So, how does a surrogate mother work?
A Suitable Woman
As to be expected, not just anyone can—or should be—a surrogate mother. This is an extremely demanding role, physically, mentally, and emotionally, so in the same way that some qualifications and requirements determine whether people are suitable for specific jobs, the same is true for women who become surrogate mothers.
In general, there are three major requirements for someone to be considered a suitable surrogate mother in Georgia.
Medical Suitability
Of course, one of the primary requirements for a successful surrogacy outcome is being medically suitable for the experience. Medical conditions are often a primary reason why a woman is unable to bear children, so it makes sense that someone taking on this role on behalf of another couple would be free from any medical concerns herself. As such, potential surrogate mothers are medically evaluated to ensure they are physically ready for the surrogacy journey.
Lifestyle Suitability
Another important component is that a potential surrogate mother has the appropriate lifestyle. After all, being in ideal physical and medical fitness for becoming pregnant can still result in tragedy if, for example, someone consumes cigarettes, drugs, or alcohol while pregnant.
Even with sound physical health, these foreign substances, a result of lifestyle choices, can affect a baby during pregnancy. So, someone who has an appropriate, healthy lifestyle and is physically fit is a better candidate.
Experience
Another important factor in ensuring a successful surrogate pregnancy is for the surrogate mother candidate to have already had a successful pregnancy. This is beneficial for everyone for multiple reasons. The first, for the couple and the surrogate mother’s physical safety, is that this means there is an established “track record of success” that lends more favorable odds.
Another important factor is that having previous experience means the surrogate mother already knows what she’s in for and is prepared to deal with the emotional and physical demands of a pregnancy. Someone pregnant for the first time is less equipped to deal with this situation. That lack of experience may cause unforeseen consequences, such as changing her mind about remaining pregnant or wanting to retain custody.
Making A Match
Once the basic prerequisites to qualify as a surrogate mother are met, it’s time to match the right woman with the right couple. There is often more to this than just whether a particular candidate is available. Finding the right surrogate mother to work with involves getting to know each other and deciding if this is a good fit, just like any business relationship or friendship.
For example, some surrogate mothers may not be receptive to in vitro fertilization, otherwise known as the IVF procedure. If this is the case, then those candidates should be struck from a prospective list if a couple has their hearts set on wanting the IVF procedure. All of this is part of the search and interview process and requires the consent of both the hopeful parents and the surrogate mother to move forward to the next phase.
Confirmation & Contracts
Once everyone has agreed to move forward, it’s time to make things official. The surrogate mother in Georgia process has a lot of legal structure behind it because surrogacy and the rights and laws associated with it are enshrined in the Georgia constitution. As a result, there is a definitive contractual and legal framework surrounding the process designed to protect both the surrogate mother and the hopeful parents.
For example, under Georgian law, once legally approved contracts have been drawn, custody of a newborn is automatically awarded to the hopeful parents. This avoids complicated and upsetting situations such as the famous 1980s case in the USA where a surrogate mother changed her mind about the baby and decided to retain custody, which the courts at the time allowed.
Visitation & Support
Once everything else has been settled, it is time to start making initial payments and maintain regular contact with the surrogate mother. While visits during the pregnancy are not required, they are certainly welcome, especially if hopeful parents are anxious to check on the baby’s progress.
Of course, as the time for birth approaches, this is when hopeful parents should make plans to return to Georgia and be there for the birth. For those who have additional questions, it’s best to put them to a reliable surrogacy clinic that can address and answer to all concerns.