| There has been a lot of talk lately about surrogacy, | | | | extended period of time. |
| with new TV shows and movies featuring surrogates. | | | | And, no matter how long the entire process takes, a |
| Much of what the media portrays is misleading. So | | | | surrogate mother does this all for $15,000-20,000. |
| why do women decide to become surrogate | | | | When you think of the fact that this process can |
| mothers? | | | | take upwards of a year and a half, this is not a |
| If you asked the average person on the street, their | | | | significant amount of money. |
| response would probably be "for the money" but | | | | So if not for the money, why do women become |
| nothing could be further from the truth. While money | | | | surrogate mothers? The reasons are varied. |
| does play a factor in most surrogacies, a woman | | | | Some women become surrogates for close family |
| cannot decide to become a surrogate simply for the | | | | and friends. Others have had infertility touch their |
| money. | | | | lives on a personal level, and want to give back to |
| First, the money, when compared to the time and | | | | those who are in need. |
| discomfort involved, is insignificant. A gestational | | | | Some love being pregnant, and want to experience |
| surrogacy arrangement can take, on average, 12-18 | | | | pregnancy again without having another child enter |
| months, sometimes longer. | | | | their family. While yet others simply want to give |
| There are months of testing, examinations, | | | | back to the world in a large way. |
| interviews, and attorney arrangements. All this is | | | | Not every woman could become a surrogate mother. |
| after a woman has researched surrogacy for | | | | Most women would be unable to differentiate the |
| months, perhaps years. | | | | feelings she has towards her own children that she |
| Then, once all of that is done, a gestational carrier | | | | carried and the child she is carrying for someone else. |
| needs to go through weeks, perhaps months of | | | | But surrogate mothers are unique in the fact that |
| medications, including daily injections, to prepare her | | | | they are able to make that distinction, and in doing |
| body for an embryo transfer. Not all embryo | | | | so are able to help grow another family, from a |
| transfers result in pregnancy, however, it can take | | | | purely unselfish and giving heart. These women view |
| several weeks to determine if it failed. | | | | surrogacy as a sort of extended baby-sitting project, |
| If the transfer is unsuccessful, the gestational | | | | and when its all over, they are happy to reunite |
| surrogate will undergo the complete procedure again, | | | | parent with child. |
| with generally one to three months wait in between. | | | | Regardless of the reasons why a woman becomes a |
| Sometimes a surrogacy will involve three to four | | | | surrogate, most gestational carriers choose to do this |
| failed transfers. | | | | because they are wonderful, intelligent women with |
| Once a transfer is successful, a surrogate mother will | | | | very large hearts, full of compassion. They are in no |
| carry a baby or babies for the intended parents for | | | | ways money-hungry, and in fact often reduce or |
| the full gestational period of 40 weeks. After | | | | eliminate their fees in order to help the right set of |
| delivery, she may even pump breastmilk for an | | | | intended parents. |