People hoping to use medically-assisted reproduction, such as surrogacy, to grow their families require the help of outside parties. In some cases, people choose known surrogates, such as siblings, close friends or cousins. Other times, the surrogate is a stranger before they agree to provide gestational services.
In either situation, aspiring parents looking to partner with a surrogate may want to discuss all three of the important issues below with each candidate.
1. Nutrition and physical activity
The conduct of a surrogate can have a direct impact on the health of the developing fetus. Ensuring that a surrogate is active and maintains a healthy diet is critical. Parents may need to discuss the personal habits of each candidate to ensure that they can adhere to the optimal diet and exercise recommendations during pregnancy.
2. Mental health matters
Prospective surrogates generally undergo screening for mental health issues. However, aspiring parents may still want to discuss how a candidate generally handles stress, depression and other emotional reactions. Pregnancy can be unpredictable, and ensuring that a surrogate can manage stress in a healthy manner is of the utmost importance.
3. Personal expectations
Unspoken expectations, such as wanting an ongoing relationship with the child, could lead to conflict in the future. Aspiring parents generally need to discuss what a surrogate expects to happen during and after the pregnancy. Ensuring that everyone has the same expectations limits the opportunity for conflict in the future.
Taking the time to make the right selection and to properly vet a surrogate’s background can give parents the confidence necessary to proceed with medically-assisted reproduction. Parents also need to work with an attorney to ensure that they have legal documents in place for their optimal protection throughout the process.