Surrogate motherhood is a variant of assisted reproductive technologies used when a woman cannot bear and give birth to a baby due to health problems. A few decades ago, the only way out was to adopt a baby. Now infertility can be overcome even in the most severe cases, such couples will be helped by a surrogacy program. It is curious that even in antiquity there was a semblance of surrogate motherhood. Wealthy ladies used their slaves to have children for them. After birth, the slaves were not even shown the baby due to the fact that they had no rights with respect to the children born.
Reviews and stereotypes about surrogate mothers
Of course, every modern person knows what surrogacy is. Reviews and opinions about him are so diverse that all of them are quite difficult to list. Some are categorically against and say that surrogacy is the use of an outside woman as an incubator. They believe that in case of infertility, you need to take the child from the orphanage. Others believe that surrogacy is an opportunity to give happiness to a childless couple and approve of this action. Opinions differ so much due to the fact that in the modern world there are several stereotypes about this phenomenon.
Those who do not like even the very expression "surrogacy", reviews and comments write negative. They firmly believe that women decide on such an act for the sake of money. It cannot be denied that the material aspect is certainly present in this. But no one knows how pregnancy can affect a woman’s health. Firstly, it is not known whether a surrogate mother can bear a child without negative consequences for her health. Secondly, do women from wealthy families not dare to do this? People who are positive about this procedure and those who have been helped by the surrogate motherhood program argue that, as a rule, single mothers who already have children but have no husband participate in the program. Despite the weight of the material side, still every woman wants to help others have a baby and create a full-fledged family.
The opinion of people about the process of gestation and childbirth
It is generally accepted that, during gestation, a surrogate mother gets used to the baby, considers him her own and it is difficult for her to separate from him after childbirth. This is not to say that this is an absolute lie. Of course, it is impossible not to get used to the miracle that has been living inside you for 9 months. But almost all surrogate mothers clearly realize that this is a strange child. That is why there are no special psychological problems in this matter.
An uninformed party writes in his comments that after the birth of a child, surrogate mothers do not maintain contact with the family they helped. This is not true. During pregnancy, they are always nearby and during this time can become very close and make friends. Many stories are known when biological parents and a woman who carried a baby maintain a warm, friendly relationship.
The legality of surrogacy
Surrogacy in Russia, in accordance with the current legislation, is considered absolutely legal. This law says that at first all the rights to a newborn child in a surrogate mother. Therefore, the woman who carried the child, if desired, may not give the baby to the parents. Officially, biological parents acquire the right to a newborn only after the surrogate mother refuses. But by law, they are not required to collect any documents and go through numerous instances to adopt their own child. In accordance with the law, a woman who has two children can become a surrogate mother. Her age should be less than 35 years. If she is married, she needs a notarized permission from her husband. Regarding biological parents, we can say that only couples who do not have their children for medical reasons can use the surrogacy program. Important is the fact that a surrogate mother cannot be an egg donor. During fertilization, a ready embryo is planted.
Cost of surrogacy
How much this program will cost is of great interest to many childless couples. According to statistics, only 0.5% of 15% of childless couples take part in the Surrogacy in Russia program. The main reason for low demand is its cost. For the bearing and birth of a baby, the physiological mother receives about 500 thousand rubles. Parents of the unborn child must pay for the surrogate mother. This will cost about 20 thousand rubles a month. The price also includes the solution of all legal issues. About 600 thousand go to pay for medicines and IVF; surrogacy is impossible without it. A large amount is due to the fact that in order to achieve pregnancy, most often you need to carry out several fertilization. When counting, you can understand that this solution is not the cheapest pleasure.
Surrogacy in Moscow
The essence of this program is that the physiological mother who carries the child does not have a genetic relationship with him: the embryo is obtained by IVF from the eggs of the biological mother and the sperm of the biological father. After that, the finished embryo is planted by a surrogate mother. Surrogacy in Moscow, as well as in other regions of Russia, is not prohibited and absolutely legal.
With the help of lawyers, a contract is concluded between the parties in a specialized center, which describes all the nuances and details. They will help find a surrogate mother and provide the necessary medical and legal services. The specialized center, which includes those who are interested in surrogate motherhood in Moscow, has a specialized database of women who have been examined and meet the requirements of the Ministry of Health.
What problems can both sides face?
During surrogacy, psychological and ethical difficulties sometimes arise. This is his main problem. Now no one is immune from fraud. Thus, no one can give guarantees that a surrogate mother after childbirth does not want a larger amount than previously agreed. There is also a small probability that the woman who carried the baby will not want to abandon him after childbirth. Periodically, it happens that biological parents abandon the child in the last moment. In this case, the surrogate mother will have to face problems for which she was not prepared psychologically or physically.
Who wants to ban surrogacy
Patriarch Kirill in his speech said that surrogacy is immoral, and even called it child trafficking, and also proposed to ban this program in Russia. Interestingly, in a number of European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain) such transactions between a physiological mother and biological parents are officially prohibited by law. In other countries, there is a ban on surrogacy with material benefits, and paid services related to it are also prohibited. In Russia, such transactions are legal. In 2011, contrary to the objections of the opponents, an official law on this program was adopted.
Alternative to surrogacy
Solving the issue of infertility using surrogate motherhood requires enormous responsibility and a balanced decision from both future parents and a surrogate mother. Before the procedure, you must definitely weigh the pros and cons. Prepare for the fact that the procedure will take a lot of time, including IVF. Surrogacy is a long and difficult path to happiness. We need to think about possible difficulties, including material ones. Women who want to become surrogate mothers should also appreciate all the pros and cons. The one who decided to help other people should not be dominated by the material aspect, but by the desire to give happiness to a childless couple. People who cannot have babies need not despair. In the end, you can take a lonely child in an orphanage and give him your love and care.