Absolutely, you can be a surrogate for someone close to you in your life. This is known as identified surrogacy and means that you are a surrogate for a friend, family member, or another person known to you outside of the surrogacy journey. There are advantages to this type of surrogacy relationship but also issues that you must take into consideration as you move forward with the journey.
A central advantage is that the friend or family member may ask for less compensation since there is a strong emotional incentive to help the intended parent(s). The base compensation may be significantly lower and there may be more of an emphasis on other supports such as child care, lost wages due to the medical pieces, psychological counseling, and other travel expenses for the surrogate’s embryo transfer. The shift tends to be from base compensation to support during the pregnancy in identified surrogacy cases.
One important piece to keep in mind is that investments in compensation and/or supports should absolutely be included as part of the journey. As a surrogate, you will be investing significant time and energy to the process and only with the appropriate assistance, will the journey be feasible. A surrogacy agreement should still be the roadmap for an identified surrogacy journey. The agreement will describe expectations for the journey for both you as the surrogate and for the intended parent(s).
To keep the relationship positive and healthy, we would also recommend psychological counseling as part of the screening process. It is often easier to share your concerns or questions with a mental health professional focused on their party reproduction than with your friend or family member. And if needed, the mental health professional should be available to both the surrogate and to the intended parents if needed. An open conversation with a mental health professional also helps establish and discuss expectations for the journey.
Another essential component is to have an agency case manage the journey. Agencies such as Capital Surrogacy can manage the journey so that difficult conversations about compensation and termination can be discussed freely and resolved with a third party. And potential hurdles, such as taking the medication or unsuccessful transfers, can be facilitated with an agency case manager. If ever personal differences should arise over even the smallest of things (think caffeine intake or travel during the pregnancy), then an agency case manager can act as a go-between in the journey.
Capital Surrogacy overseas many case management only journeys in identified surrogacy. We welcome the opportunity to be a part of an exceptionally rewarding and healthy journey. And we strive to have the relationship be even stronger and more intimate by the end of the journey.
We encourage all prospective intended parents and surrogates to contact Capital Surrogacy and learn more about our case management only services. Please complete the short contact form, we cannot wait to hear from you!
