There is nothing small about the decision to start a family. Whether it’s legal wedlock or two partners for life, raising a child is one of the most significant choices—and changes—to affect a couple’s life. This is a new stage in the journey of life that always requires massive amounts of planning and financial investment. However, for some, the biggest hurdles to starting are family are right at the beginning.
While other couples usually choose the traditional route of a woman allowing herself to become pregnant and giving birth nine months later, this isn’t always the option available to everyone. Same-sex male couples, for example, don’t have a uterus between either partner for natural childbirth. And some women may have underlying medical issues, such as a heart condition that would threaten the well-being of both the mother and child if a pregnancy is risked.
Fortunately, there are solutions for couples facing these challenges. One of them is surrogacy, and this is an alternative that is open to people with possible destinations all over the world. But why would you want to go with worldwide surrogacy options?
World-Class Treatment Around The World
One of the primary reasons people choose to go with surrogacy options in different countries is to get better or faster medical and surrogacy care. We are long past the age when the only advanced, quality medical care is available in the United States or the United Kingdom. Today, many nations in Asia, Europe, and Southeast Asia offer the same level of technologically advanced, medically qualified care and attention as the so-called First World Nations.
In many cases, that equivalent level of medical care can even be enjoyed at a lower cost thanks to the differences in currency. Advanced medical treatment in Singapore or heart or lung conditions, for example, uses all the latest equipment, with highly qualified doctors. Still, the difference in SGD versus USD means that considerable savings are available for people that must pay their own way for treatment. The same kind of wide-spread quality care and techniques are just as valid for surrogacy, which is a much longer-term process.
Legal Restrictions
A substantial reason that some couples also go with worldwide surrogacy options is that they may not have choices available in their country. Despite surrogacy being one of the oldest methods of allowing couples to overcome their childless state, some nations have banned all forms of surrogacy. Germany and France, for example, both outlawed surrogacy of any kind.
For couples in these countries, these laws mean that any risk undertaken with a surrogate mother results if found out, in the surrogate mother being legally declared the parent. In contrast, the original couple has no jurisdiction or parental rights at all.
More Options
Even if nations were surrogacy is legally sanctioned, it may not be the kind of surrogacy that a couple wants. For example, in Canada, surrogacy is legal in every province except Quebec. However, the legal surrogacy is only “altruistic” or “compassionate” surrogacy. This type of surrogacy is on a strict volunteer basis, meaning that the surrogate mother gets no financial compensation for the role she plays. She does, of course, receive money for medical treatment, if required, and living expenses once the pregnancy progresses to the point where she can no longer financially support herself. This is an extreme act of generosity, however, and many women find making that kind of commitment difficult without more incentive.This can severely limit the pool of willing candidates.
“Compensated surrogacy,” on the other hand,is where the women who allow their uterus to be used for pregnancy get significant financial recognition for what they are doing. In many cases, this kind of remuneration can make a huge difference in someone’s life. Because of that, it’s not unusual in countries that legalize compensated surrogacy to have many more young, healthy, medically suitable candidates available to give couples more choice.
For people that want a broader range of candidates, especially if specific characteristics are hoped for, such as ethnicity, worldwide surrogacy is a better choice. Those willing to invest a little bit more will get many more options when making a decision as important as this one.
Preparation Is Important
For people that choose to go this route, it’s important to understand that more planning and organization arerequired. The legal status of a newborn is a factor that must be carefully considered and addressed ahead of time. It’s often the case that a couple can’t simply visit another country and come back with a baby when the woman wasn’t pregnant upon departure, and expect that child to be automatically granted citizenship.
Talking with an experienced worldwide surrogacy agency should mean that staff is in place that understands the specific legal requirements for different countries. This ensures that the child, upon return to the intended country of residence, is not rendered “stateless” with none of the rights or protections afforded to a citizen of that country.