To the general public, surrogacy is something you only hear about when it’s associated with well-known names like Kim Kardashian or Sarah Jessica Parker. This is partly due to the fact that surrogacy costs can be quite expensive. In addition to the surrogate mother’s compensation, the Intended Parents are responsible for any insurance(s) and medical costs incurred throughout their journey. When you consider the fertility specialists, medications and testing, number of cycles/transfers, OB and delivery bills from the hospital, etc., becoming a parent through surrogacy may not be an affordable option for everyone.

While surrogacy costs can be expensive, celebrities are not the only people to build or create their family(ies) this way. At Reproductive Possibilities, the majority of our Intended Parents are everyday people, with normal jobs and normal lives. We’ve worked with teachers, nurses, stay at home moms, small business owners, fitness instructors, insurance agents, event planners… the list goes on!

What is an Intended Parent?

An Intended Parent can be:

• Single man
• Single woman, often struggling with infertility or has health risks
• LGBT/same sex male couples
• LGBT/same sex female couples, often struggling with infertility or has health risks
• Heterosexual couple, often struggling with infertility or health risks

Intended Parents choose to build their families through gestational surrogacy because it is currently the only route to parenthood (besides natural conception) that allows parents to have their own biological child. By transferring an already-created and fertilized embryo to a gestational carrier, the Intended Parents have the opportunity to use their own genetic materials (egg and/or sperm).

Some individuals and/or couples may need to use a sperm or egg donor if their own biological material poses a risk or carries any severe or genetic defects. When the quality of the eggs and/or sperm of the IPs are not usable or unsatisfactory, their fertility clinic may recommend that they consider moving forward with a donor (sperm, egg, or both).

Why an Intended Parent may need an egg or sperm donor:

• poor egg quality
• premature ovarian failure
• exposure to cancer therapy
• low ovarian reserve
• carrier of genetic disease
• autoimmune conditions
• single parent
• same sex parent(s)

Why surrogacy? Why not adopt?

While adoption is a valid and beautiful way to begin or expand your family, many hopeful parents choose to pursue gestational surrogacy. This option allows another woman to carry their child, whether it is their own genetics or one created with the assistance of a donor(s). The Intended Parents are declared as the legal parents of a child born through surrogacy.

There are a few different options and routes that Intended Parents can take to build their families. By doing your research and understanding the differences between the different paths to parenthood, Intended Parents should be able to make a decision that best fits their lifestyle and works best for their family.