Any person who is responsible and a good-hearted individual has the potential of being a great parent. Fortunately for most people, they will have that opportunity at some point in their lives. With that said, becoming a parent creates issues for people in the LGBT+ community.
More and more, people across the U.S. are showing support for the rights of gay couples. Among those rights is the right to be a parent. Of course, that creates logistical issues for members of the LGBT+ community who don’t consider the traditional method of creating a child to be an option. In such cases, the only realistic options gay couples have are adoption and surrogacy.
Yes, adoption is always an alternative but it’s an option that is expensive and very time-consuming. That makes surrogacy a far more attractive alternative. Since most top fertility clinics are fully supportive of surrogacy for gay couples, LGBT surrogacy is something every gay couple should consider if they want to raise children of their own.
SURROGACY FOR LGBT COUPLES
While surrogacy for LGBT couples is not a new concept, it has certainly gained in popularity over the last few years. This has come about because of the fact more Americans are now willing to accept the fact gay couples are just as capable of being good parents as hetero couples.
From the perspective of a fertility clinic like ours, the surrogate for a gay couple process and requirements are the same as it would be for any other intended parents. The challenges for us are essentially the same. It’s incumbent on our staff to find the right surrogate for each intended parent or parents. We also have to find the tight gamete donors when necessary.
CAN TWO WOMEN HAVE A BABY?
We all know the basics of biology as it relates to pregnancy and having babies. Can two women have a baby? Clearly, it’s not possible biologically. However, either of the women is eligible to donate an egg cell to a surrogate for the purpose of becoming a biological mother.
The decision about which of the two mothers will donate the egg cell is something that needs to be resolved within the intended parents’ relationship. If asked, one of our staff members can provide a little bit of counseling as it relates to making this choice. Also, we would be remiss to not mention that should the intended female wish to donate the egg cell, the syncing of cycles between the donor and the surrogate becomes a potential issue.
The fun part of this process is the two women get the chance to decide on what physical and genetic characteristics they would like the child to have. That often points in the direction of the intended biological parent.
HOW DO GAY MEN HAVE KIDS?
Without going through the biological process of giving birth, gay men have three alternatives if they want to have kids. First, they do have the aforementioned adoption option, which is fraught with complications.
If they want to go the surrogate for a gay couple route, they have two options. One of the men in the relationship can serve as the sperm donor. If by chance both men are unwilling or unable to serve as sperm donors, it would fall on the fertility clinic to find the right gamete donor.
As is the case with two women, two men also get the chance to pick which one will serve as the donor with the hope of passing on physical and genetic traits.
HOW TO BECOME A SURROGATE FOR A GAY COUPLE
As you contemplate becoming a gestational surrogate, you need to know you have the right to accept only the circumstances with which you are comfortable.
It’s common for a gay couple to worry about whether or not they will be able to find a woman who is comfortable carrying a child to term for the benefit of the gay couple. On the surface, that seems like a logical concern. However, it’s not really a big concern anymore. Americans are more accepting than ever before.
As a prospective surrogate, we assume that a big part of your motivation is wanting to give the gift of parenthood to people who might not otherwise get the opportunity to experience that great joy.
We would never go so far as to say everyone should simply accept LGBT surrogacy as a common occurrence. Just the same, we want to impress on you that we believe anyone who would make a good parent should get that chance. The fact you want to be a surrogate says something about your heart and character. It’s a good bet that you really don’t care who you partner with for the surrogacy process.
The surrogacy process with gay couples is the same as it would be if the intended parents were heterosexual. You have to meet the same physical, mental, and emotional qualifications before you get the green light. You would also get the right to say yay or nay to prospective intended parents.
If by chance you would have a preference for serving as a gestational surrogate for a gay couple, we encourage you to let us know. The demand for surrogates from the gay community is on the rise. Our mission is to match each intended parent or parents with the right surrogate. The fact you would prefer serving the LGBT community in this way would immediately make you a great surrogate candidate for such a situation.
THE BENEFITS YOU CAN DERIVE FROM SURROGACY FOR LGBT COUPLES
Your motives for wanting to serve as a gestational surrogate are yours alone. Regardless of the sexual orientation of the couples, you will consider serving, you will get the same benefits.
Of course, the most important benefit you will derive from the surrogate process is the self-fulfillment you will feel by serving others in an unselfish way. We find that women who are willing to carry a child for others are generally quality individuals. They seem to grasp the importance of helping others when the opportunity arises. Yes, carrying a child for someone else is a lot different than helping them carry groceries. That’s why the sense of fulfillment you will feel will be so strong.
When you are willing to do that for a gay couple, you are indicating the pureness of your heart. It’s a heart that only sees people and doesn’t judge on things like race, religion, or sexual orientation. That’s exactly the kind of women we want to interview as potential surrogates.
Again, the demand for gestational surrogates amounts the LGBT community is increasing all the time. If this is a humanitarian process in which you would like to take part, be sure to contact us as soon as possible for an appointment.
