Analyzing Major types of Surrogacy along with their risks and Benefits!

For individuals and couples struggling with infertility, health issues, or other obstacles to conception, surrogacy offers a perfect route to parenthood. That said, there are various surrogacy arrangements, each with special qualities and advantages. So, if you are kick-starting your surrogacy journey anytime soon, gaining the right knowledge about these can come crucial.

As of now, there are three main types of surrogacy—traditional, gestational, and altruistic. So, in the following parts of the blog, we will talk about these types of surrogacy in detail. Besides, we will discuss whether going independently or via a reputed international surrogacy agency is the best way to do surrogacy parenthood.

Major types of surrogacy across the globe!

Traditional Surrogacy

By using the surrogate’s eggs to conceive the child, traditional surrogacy makes the surrogate the child’s biological mother. Moreover, in this arrangement, the intended father’s sperm or donor sperm is used to fertilise the surrogate’s eggs either through intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilisation (IVF). As a result, the surrogate and the child she carries share genetic traits.

Advantages of traditional Surrogacy:

• The genetic relationship between the surrogate and the child is one of the main advantages of traditional surrogacy. Besides, this biological connection is crucial for some intended parents because it enables the child to have a clear genetic connection to one of the intended parents.
• Because traditional surrogacy does not require an egg donor, it may be a more affordable choice for intended parents. Moreover, it might not require as many intricate medical procedures, making the process more affordable than the gestational surrogacy process

Gestational surrogacy

The most popular type of surrogacy in use today is gestational surrogacy, also referred to as full surrogacy. In this type of surrogacy, the surrogate does not use her eggs in this arrangement to conceive the child. Instead, an embryo is produced through IVF using the sperm and eggs of the intended parents or donor gametes. Besides, the surrogate then receives the embryo and carries the child to term in her womb.

Gestational surrogacy advantages:

• The fact that the surrogate has no genetic ties to the child she is carrying is one of the main benefits of the gestational surrogacy process. Also, for intended parents who prefer a distinct separation between the genetic and gestational roles in the surrogacy process, this may be advantageous.
• In gestational surrogacy, there is no genetic connection between the surrogate and the child, so legal parentage is usually simpler and less complicated. Besides, the intended parents are acknowledged as the legal parents from the moment of birth in many jurisdictions.
• Since the surrogate and the child have no genetic ties, gestational surrogacy may lessen the possibility of emotional complications that would exist in a traditional surrogacy arrangement.
• Gestational surrogacy gives intended parents the ability to influence the child’s genetic makeup. If necessary, they can choose to use donor eggs or sperm instead of their gametes.

Altruistic Surrogacy

In an altruistic surrogacy, the surrogate consents to carry the child for the intended parents without expecting a surrogate mother’s cost payment. Moreover, altruistic surrogacy is motivated by the desire to assist others in becoming parents, as opposed to commercial surrogacy, in which the surrogate is paid for her services.

Altruistic surrogacy advantages

• Altruistic surrogacy is frequently regarded as being more ethical and altruistic because it places more emphasis on the journey’s emotional and humanitarian aspects than on its financial benefits.
• It can be financially advantageous for intended parents because it eliminates the need to pay expensive surrogacy fees, making the procedure more affordable.
• Altruistic surrogacy may result in a deeper emotional connection between the intended parents and the surrogate. Besides, relationships with surrogates can become more meaningful and supportive as a result of their desire to support others and fulfil their parental dream.

While these types of surrogacy come with their pros and cons, it all depends on one’s choice. Moreover, a person can also opt for independent surrogacy or agency surrogacy depending on their budget and choices. That said, both options come along with their own set of risks and benefits as well.

Independent Surrogacy vs Agency Surrogacy: Risks and benefits

Independent Surrogacy

Risks:

Complicated: Independent surrogacy can be complicated legally because intended parents and surrogates must navigate the laws surrounding surrogacy without the assistance of a surrogacy agency. Moreover, this could lead to potential legal difficulties or variations depending on the nation’s or state’s laws.

Lack of Support: Independent surrogacy may not include the same level of thorough prescreening and psychological assessment that agencies do. Moreover, this may increase the chance that the intended parents and surrogates’ expectations are out of sync, which could create emotional and psychological difficulties throughout the surrogacy process.

Limited Resources and Expertise: Intended parents may encounter difficulties in locating suitable surrogates, organising medical procedures, and handling the financial and logistical aspects of surrogacy without the resources and experience of a surrogacy agency.

Benefits:

Savings: Since intended parents can avoid agency fees and commissions, independent surrogacy may be less expensive than agency surrogacy. Besides, they might only be required to pay for the direct costs related to the surrogacy procedure and no surrogate mother cost.

Direct Involvement and Control: The entire surrogacy process, including the choice of the surrogate, legal arrangements, and financial negotiations, are directly under the direct involvement and control of the intended parents. Also, a more individualized experience might be possible with this level of control.

Closer Relationship: Since there is no middleman between the intended parents and the surrogate, independent surrogacy may enable this to happen. Also, during the surrogacy process, this may promote a close relationship and open communication.

Agency Surrogacy

Risks:

Higher Costs: Due to agency fees and commissions, agency surrogacy frequently has higher costs. Moreover, when choosing agency services, intended parents must plan for these extra costs.

Limited Control over Surrogate Selection: Although agencies work hard to match intended parents with suitable surrogates, the choice of the surrogate may be constrained by the agency’s pool of available candidates. Besides, this might lead to a less specific match.

Potential Miscommunication: Misunderstandings or mismatches in expectations may result from poor communication between the intended parents and the agency, which could put stress and strain on the surrogacy relationship.

Benefits:

Legal aspects: Experience and expertise in navigating the legal and administrative facets of surrogacy are provided by surrogacy agencies. Besides, intentional parents will have more peace of mind knowing that they can handle the intricate legal paperwork, contracts, and arrangements.

Prescreening and Support: Organisations thoroughly screen potential surrogates to make sure they satisfy the necessary physical, emotional, and psychological requirements. As a result, there is a greater chance that the surrogacy process will be successful and potential risks will be reduced.

Professional Guidance and Coordination: From matching intended parents with surrogates to managing medical procedures and promoting open communication between all parties involved, surrogacy agencies offer professional guidance and coordination throughout the entire process.

Broader Surrogate Network: Because agencies frequently have access to a larger pool of potential surrogates, the chances that the intended parents will find a good match are higher.

FAQs related to Types of Surrogacy

Q. Which type of surrogacy is best for me?

-It all depends on your expectations, budgetary limits and other aspects. If you want to save more money, then opting for Altruistic surrogacy is a good idea.

Q. Can I go for the surrogacy process on my own?

-Independent surrogacy brings along its risks and benefits. So, you must analyse your alternatives carefully before making a decision.

Final words

Intended parents need to understand the various forms of surrogacy and their advantages to choose the best one for their particular situation. Also, whether it’s traditional surrogacy with a genetic connection, gestational surrogacy for defined legal and emotional boundaries, or altruistic surrogacy motivated by compassion and selflessness, each type of surrogacy offers its own set of benefits that can make the surrogacy journey rewarding and transformative for everyone involved.