When it comes to growing your family, you have options. If you are unable or unwilling to conceive a child on your own, your main options are surrogacy and adoption. Both surrogacy and adoption are wonderful ways to grow your family. However, which you choose depends entirely on your family’s unique circumstances. To help you decide what is right for you, here are the pros and cons of surrogacy vs adoption.
What Are The Key Differences Between Surrogacy Vs Adoption
Surrogacy is a type of assisted reproduction. A woman, known as the “surrogate mother,” agrees to carry and give birth to a child for another person or couple. There are two types of surrogacy. The first is traditional surrogacy, where physicians use the surrogate’s egg to create the baby. The second is gestational surrogacy, where physicians implant an embryo via in vitro fertilization (IVF) using the intended parents’ or donors’ genetic material implanted in the surrogate.
- Intended parents make surrogacy agreements before the child’s conception, and the surrogate carries the pregnancy.
- Surrogacy uses assisted reproductive technologies, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF).
- Surrogacy may involve the intended parent’s genetic material, creating a biological link between the parents and the child (gestational surrogacy).
- The surrogate mother typically chooses to carry the pregnancy and deliver the child without keeping her parental rights.
Adoption, on the other hand, is a legal process in which an individual or couple becomes the permanent parent(s) of a child who is not biologically theirs. Adoption ends the legal rights and responsibilities of the biological parents and transfers them to the adoptive parents. Adoption can include infants, older children, or children with special needs.
- Adoption is usually for a child who is already born.
- Adoption is the permanent transfer of the parental legal rights from a child’s biological parents to the adoptive parents.
- Adoptive parents do not have a genetic link to the child.
- Adoption can be domestic or international and often requires agencies, thorough background checks, and legal procedures.
There are some significant differences when considering surrogacy vs adoption. However, which you choose really comes down to your family and what is best for you.
What Are The Pros Of Adoption?
Adoption offers many pros to help families grow, including:
- Adoption gives children who cannot be raised by their biological parents a loving, supportive family.
- Adoption establishes clear legal parentage and responsibilities.
- Adoption often includes access to support networks and resources for both children and adoptive parents.
- Adoption allows families to adopt infants to teenagers.
For many families, adoption is an excellent option. However, if you are going to consider adoption, you also need to understand the cons.
What Are The Cons Of Adoption?
Adoption also has many downsides, including:
- Adoption can involve long waiting periods and extensive legal and social procedures.
- Adoption may present emotional difficulties for both the adoptive family and the child, especially concerning identity and attachment issues.
- Adoption is expensive, particularly for international or private adoptions.
- Some adoptions, especially open adoptions, may involve ongoing contact with biological families, which can be complex to navigate.
Adoption is not the right choice for all families. For those families, surrogacy may be a better option.
What Are The Pros Of Surrogacy?
As with adoption, surrogacy offers both pros and cons. The main surrogacy benefits include:
- Surrogacy enables intended parents to maintain a biological connection to the child, especially through gestational surrogacy.
- Surrogacy provides intended parents with greater control over the pregnancy and prenatal environment.
- Surrogacy offers a way for individuals or couples facing infertility or medical conditions preventing pregnancy to grow their family.
- Surrogacy often has a more predictable timeline compared to adoption processes.
Surrogacy benefits are numerous. However, it’s essential also to understand the cons of surrogacy.
What Are The Cons Of Surrogacy?
Surrogacy also has some cons, depending on your situation. Cons may include:
- Surrogacy requires complex legal agreements and varying laws by region, but agencies can provide legal expertise and support.
- Surrogacy can be expensive in the United States due to medical procedures, surrogate compensation, and legal fees, but financial planning and agency assistance can help manage costs.
- Surrogacy can be emotionally challenging for both the surrogate and intended parents, but counseling and support from agencies can mitigate these challenges.
- Managing relationships between the intended parents and the surrogate can be complex, but clear communication and agency mediation can facilitate positive interactions.
Fortunately, the helpful support of a reputable surrogacy agency can overcome most of surrogacy’s cons.
When considering surrogacy vs adoption, both options can help you grow your family. However, if your family chooses surrogacy, SurMom can help. As a leading international surrogacy agency, we know the ins and outs of surrogacy. Our compassionate and knowledgeable surrogacy experts are here to support you through the medical, legal, and emotional parts of surrogacy. We’ll help you grow your family.