Surrogacy Myths and Facts

There are many misconceptions and myths surrounding surrogacy and working with a surrogate. Below are the most common surrogacy myths and facts:

Myth: Surrogacy is only for the wealthy or celebrities.

This myth exists due to the cost of surrogacy, as we only ever read or hear about famous people with a vast wealth going through surrogacy. The latter is incorrect as Gaia Fertility has researched global solutions to suit everyone’s financial needs, we aim to never turn away from an intended parent searching for a way to create or complete their family. We feel everyone is entitled to a family.

Myth: A woman will opt for surrogacy to save her figure or avoid pregnancy.

Surrogacy is one of the most emotional processes for a woman to have a baby and to accept she will never be able to carry a child of her own. Usually, a woman has been through multiple failed attempts and methods trying to conceive, and the decision to move onto surrogacy is the last resort as having a family is the most critical aspect of their lives and our number one priority.

Myth: The surrogate may try to take on parental custody of the child.

Every single surrogate undergoes a psychological review before being accepted into the program. We are aware that they are also doing this to better their own children’s lives and have no desire to have another child to take care of. As there is no genetic link to the surrogate the intended parents are covered in the case the surrogate attempts to take on custody. Although the surrogate will nurture your child throughout the pregnancy, surrogates are aware from the onset that she will not parent or have legal parentage rights of the child.

Myth: I will have trouble bonding with my baby.

Bonding with the child after birth is something that many intended parents worry over leading up to the pregnancy. The bonding process begins after the child is born, not while in the womb. Once the child is born he/she is immediately handed over to the intended parents where that bond will begin to form. It is the ones who nurture and love on the child that secure the forever relationship.

Fact: The ideal surrogate has been pregnant before.

It is very important that a woman who is going to be a surrogate has already carried at least one healthy baby to term without any complications. This alleviates any concerns that during the pregnancy there could be complications.

Fact: Intended Parent Breastfeeding

Just because an Intended Mother will not carry her child does not mean she will not be able to breastfeed. If a woman wants to breastfeed her baby born via surrogacy, she should consult her OB/Gyn. The doctor will be able to review options and help the mother design a plan that works best for her.

Fact: Genetic Connection(s)

The child can have a genetic link to both parents, to the mother only (with donor sperm), to the father only (with donor egg), or to neither parent (with donor embryo or donor egg with donor sperm). In gestational surrogacy, the child is never genetically linked to the carrier.

Fact: Multiple Births

There is a higher risk of multiple births with surrogacy. Usually, only high-quality embryos are selected to implant and unless specified, most doctors choose to implant 2 embryos for a higher success rate on the first attempt. Due to the fact the entire procedure is completely controlled with perfect levels in order to accept the implantation, the chances increase of twins or split embryos occurring. Intended parents should always be aware of this fact beforehand.