Can you use a surrogate if you are physically able to conceive? The answer is unequivocally yes. The fact is that the decision to pursue surrogacy is a multi-faceted; it takes into account much more than just an intended parent’s ability to carry a baby. Medical issues, including infertility, play a major role. However, the financial, emotional, and personal lifestyle components of surrogacy are important to consider. Infertility is not the only reason intended parents may choose to use a surrogate, nor is it a requirement to embark on the path of building a family through surrogacy. At ConceiveAbilities, we advocate for equality in making this decision, and we welcome women who may be able to carry but choose not to.
What is “social surrogacy”?
Historically, the inability to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term have been the primary circumstances for intended parents choosing surrogacy. Considering our modern culture, this scope is limited. ConceiveAbilities’ mission is to help women and couples with fertility issues, global couples navigating geopolitical issues, and same-sex couples or singles who are unable to – or choose not to – carry a baby.
There are many reasons that a woman may not want to carry a child, and there is an increasing number of women who are able to conceive that choose surrogacy – sometimes referred to as “social surrogacy.” Whatever your reason for deciding on surrogacy, you will be supported through every step of the way with leading experts and a compassionate and customized approach to your journey.
Why choose surrogacy?
Surrogacy is a deeply personal journey. There may be trends and similarities amongst intended parents who opt to use a surrogate, but no two reasons for choosing to use surrogacy are the same.
Traditional reasons to use surrogacy
Health and medical considerations have traditionally been the impetus for intended parents turning to surrogacy. Some of these include:
Infertility- Age
- Same-sex couples wanting to create a family using an egg donor and services of a gestational carrier
- Uterine scarring or other uterine structural defects which would inhibit the ability to safely carry a baby to full term
- Existing medical conditions that may make pregnancy dangerous for the mother and baby, including a history of breast cancer, preeclampsia, heart disease and diabetes
- Complicated past pregnancies and/or history of miscarriage
Non-medical reasons to use surrogacy
With the rise in popularity of surrogacy, especially in the last decade, more thought has been given to the idea that surrogacy should be available to intended parents who are able to conceive but choose not to. While the decision to use a surrogate is personal, a career in the spotlight is one example of opting for surrogacy as a social choice. Other examples include:
Athletes
Lifestyles which place a high focus on athleticism are often incredibly physically demanding. Whether you are a professional athlete or someone who craves their twice daily cross fit class, this level of exertion may not lend itself to an ideal physical environment to carry a baby. Maintaining this lifestyle is an active choice with an option for surrogacy.
Risky Careers or Hobbies
A dream career may not align with a safe pregnancy. If you have put years of work into becoming a pilot, sommelier, beekeeper, or construction supervisor, for example, it may feel like an internal battle between your passion for your work and your desire to grow your family. A chosen career path that may present safety and health risks to the pregnancy means an option for surrogacy, even if a woman is able to conceive on her own.
Whatever factors come into play, the common thread – creating a family – is what matters most. ConceiveAbilities firmly believes in the right of all intended parents to build their families in a way that aligns with their personal choices and lifestyles.
Are there requirements for intended parents to use surrogacy?
Personal Requirements
There is no extensive list of requirements for an intended parent to use a surrogate, but it’s important to consider the implications of the financial and emotional investment you are making in your family. Surrogacy is a marathon, not a sprint, and willingness to navigate the road ahead is a vital prerequisite.
ConceiveAbilities screens their applicants, but not through a list of checkboxes. We conduct a background check and most of our clients meet with a psychologist through their fertility clinic to discuss the emotional dynamics of surrogacy. The surrogacy process begins with a consultation. We have designed our process to help you through every step of the way, and what that looks like will be different for every intended parent. Your initial consultation will help us learn more about your unique goals and motivations, and will give you all the information you need to know about the steps of surrogacy. We also believe that Matching Matters and have developed a proprietary process to ensure we find the surrogate that is a perfect match for you. Here, we learn everything from your communication style to your expectations after the baby is born to make sure we connect you to a surrogate with whom you’ll be most compatible.
Legal Requirements
Surrogacy is not legal everywhere, and the nuances of laws where surrogacy is legal can vary by state. Typically, the state laws where the baby is born determine which laws apply to parentage. You will have the expertise of a team to ensure that your needs and goals align with the specific legalities of your surrogate’s location.
Medical Requirements
ConceiveAbilities is a gestational surrogacy agency, meaning that the surrogate is not genetically related to the baby she carries. The embryo is created using the intended parents’ sperm and egg or donor sperm and/or egg. The health of the gestational carrier and the baby are top priority in a surrogacy arrangement, so all donors undergo medical screening when the embryos are created to ensure that any genetic factors or family history are accounted for. Since the intended parents may or may not be the donors in gestational surrogacy, the requirement of medical records for intended parents can vary by state, agency, or unique circumstances within each surrogacy arrangement.
Your partner in family building
Making the choice to use a surrogate is a different conversation for all intended parents. It may feel like the clear choice for those who have been battling infertility, while others may be unsure of their options if they are able to conceive but choose not to. Regardless of what led you to choose surrogacy, ConceiveAbilities is committed to a safe, secure, and customized approach to every intended parent who is ready to build their family.