3 myths on Surrogacy

16 Nov 3 myths on Surrogacy

There is a lot of information and misinformation on Surrogacy. We want to shed light on 3 myths on surrogacy, and provide an educational response on why these are simply that…myths!

Myth 1: Surrogates are related to the baby.

There are two paths of surrogacy, traditional and gestational.

Traditional Surrogacy occurs when the surrogate doubles as an egg donor and a host for the embryo. In this case, the surrogate would be genetically related to the baby, but willingly donating their egg to the intended parents, thus forgoing their parental rights to the child.

Gestational Surrogacy occurs when an embryo has already been created and fertilized by the Intended Parents, and the surrogate is only carrying that embryo through the pregnancy process. The baby would not be genetically related to the surrogate in any way, and would have no parental rights to the baby.

Myth 2: Surrogacy is a form of human trafficking.

Surrogates must willingly and voluntarily apply to become a surrogate, whether through an agency or for an independent journey. A surrogate is provided a lawyer who will review, revise, and assist with signing a legal contract to cover any and all needs the surrogate requires. While some states require compensation for the surrogate, other states only require all medical expenses to be paid for. Either way, a surrogate is never required (or expected) to use their body without being financially, legally, and physically taken care of. 

Myth 3: Surrogacy is only for rich people.

Surrogacy is not cheap and can range anywhere from $50,000-$200,000+.

The truth is, many Intended Parents use surrogacy only after using other methods to have a baby, which means they are already financially strained. IPs have to seek out a variety of ways to pay for their journey. These methods include 2nd mortgages, high-interest-rate loans, fundraising, and even taking on 2nd or 3rd jobs. 

Regardless of someone’s financial status, surrogacy is a large unexpected cost, just for a chance at having a baby. 

While there are many more myths about surrogacy out there, we felt these 3 were the most important to address in today’s post. Thanks for following along, and if you have any questions or feel the call to be a surrogate, please reach out to us!