What Do Surrogate Motherhood Clinics Do?
The idea of surrogate motherhood is a familiar one to many people. It’s a simple enough concept; a family wishes to have a child, but for one reason or another, are unable to conceive that child naturally. However, there’s no wish to adopt a child either. So another woman agrees to accept, and carry to term, the child of that family. Once the child is born, it goes to the parents who began the process.
But even though the idea of surrogate motherhood is, on the surface easy to understand, successful surrogate motherhood experiences can be extremely challenging to achieve. Numerous factors can all impact the outcome of surrogate motherhood, from the health of the surrogate mother to the legalities of it, depending on the country, or even the cost.
This is why for people who want to maximize their chances of having a smooth, rewarding surrogate mother experience, it’s sometimes best to go to a surrogate motherhood clinic. But how does this differ from hopeful parents trying to undertake this dream themselves? What can a surrogate motherhood clinic do that intended families can’t do for themselves?
Experience & Expertise
One of the most obvious advantages that a respected, established surrogate motherhood clinic can bring is knowledge and professionalism. In the same way that most people would not want to attempt to repair a computer, or build their own home, but rather leave this to the professionals, there are many aspects of surrogate motherhood that go beyond the surrogate mother herself.
Picking a surrogate mother is one of the most important, first choices that hopeful parents can make, and this is not a decision that should be made quickly, or lightly. While the choice to “ask a friend” might seem like a good idea at the time, there is a personal, emotional, psychological, medical, professional and financial weight to surrogate motherhood that can have a dramatic effect on people without proper preparation or support. This extends to both the hopeful parents as well as the surrogate mother.
A surrogate motherhood clinic lays the foundation for a successful experience by approach every step, especially the preliminary ones carefully. Surrogate mother candidates are carefully screened for health and lifestyle. Parents are as well, especially if there’s a wish to use parental genetic material for in vitro fertilization.
Hopeful parents get a selection of carefully picked candidates, are informed of the choices, and can meet with and make the decision. Everything is transparent between the parents and the surrogate mother, all carefully organized and facilitated by the clinic.
Administration
Beyond just the health and suitability of the parents and the surrogate mother, there is also an enormous amount of paperwork, bureaucracy and legal considerations that must be addressed. When coming to a surrogate motherhood clinic based in Georgia, for example, the country has completely legalized the surrogate motherhood process. There are stringent laws in place to protect the rights and interest of everyone involved, especially the hopeful parents. This means that anyone that uses a surrogate motherhood clinic in Georgia will be participating in a well-defined, rigorously observed, 100% legal activity with many provisions, rights, and protections.
Other countries are far less detailed, and in some cases, there may not be any provisions at all. Even within the United States, the legality of surrogate motherhood varies from state to state, with some, such as the state of Michigan, not recognizing any surrogate motherhood legality in the area at all. It means that even if a couple in Michigan signed a contract with a surrogate mother, that contract would not be recognized, and, should the mother carrying the baby change her mind, she would have full legal protection to do so, and the court would recognize her claim.
Financing Options
There are going to be many different financial considerations when it comes to surrogate motherhood, but a good surrogate motherhood clinic can help. It’s not simply a matter of financial compensation for a surrogate mother, as she carries a baby to term.
Beyond that, there may be associated with costs with the collection of genetic material for in vitro fertilization, and safely accessing it for surrogate purposes. There is the cost of finding and examining an appropriate surrogate mother. There are the medical costs of support for the surrogate mother as she carries the child to term. And there are the legal costs to ensure that everything has been properly overseen, approved and documented so that at the end of the pregnancy, the transition goes smoothly and legally.
A surrogate motherhood clinic does far more than just help to find a surrogate mother quickly. There’s a broad array of important support services for both the parents and the surrogate mother. It takes what could be an overwhelming experience with many concerns that need to be addressed, and handles them all professionally, and efficiently.