Top Health Tips on Having a Baby Through Surrogacy

Ivf vs. Surrogacy: which is the better option?

Both IVF (in vitro fertilisation) and surrogacy are alternative methods of having a baby and can be resorted to when a couple cannot conceive the natural way. The reason behind the inability to conceive can be due various reasons ranging from infertility and low sperm count (in men) to damaged fallopian tubes and early menopause (in women).

You can opt for either surrogacy or IVF if you've been trying to conceive for more than a year without any results. But which of the two should you opt for? well, there are three things you must keep in mind before making a choice.

How does it work?

Surrogacy is opted for when the woman is unable to conceive by natural means, and when there's no possibility of her getting pregnant whatsoever. Surrogacy can be of two types- full surrogacy and partial surrogacy. Full surrogacy involves the implantation of sperms and eggs of the couple into the uterus of the surrogate mother; while partial surrogacy involves the fertilisation of the surrogate mother's egg by the sperm of the intended father. By opting for surrogacy the woman partner is unable to carry the child, a desire that is present in most women.

On the other hand, ivf works towards the treatment of infertility in one or both the partners, enabling the woman partner to conceive the child. Ivf involves the fertilisation of a woman's eggs by the sperm of the intended father in a laboratory dish. The developed embryo (or fertilised egg) is then implanted in the woman's uterus. This is a viable option for couples who want to have a baby on their own.

Chances of a successful pregnancy are usually higher with surrogacy when compared to IVF.

The risks involved

Risks of surrogacy include multiple births, ectopic pregnancy (implantation of the fertilised egg in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus, leading to miscarriage) and birth defects in the child, to name a few. Apart from that, the genes of the surrogate mother can affect the development of the unborn baby; hence, a surrogate mother has to be chosen with utmost care.

As for risks associated with IVF, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (swollen and painful ovaries), multiple births, ectopic pregnancy and stress can take place if ivf is opted for.

The legal process

Surrogacy requires the fulfilment of complex legal processes such as determining eligibility, matching profiles of surrogates with intended parents, finding of a potential surrogate and more, which require proper legal counselling. Besides the cost of surrogacy in India is roughly inr 8, 25, 000.

Ivf does not involve any such processes and is easier to carry out. The cost of IVF in India can range between inr 2, 50, 000 to inr 4, 50, 000, making it a much more viable option.

Based on these factors, you can make the choice of a procedure that is best suited for you.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: BUSTED: 4 Myths on IVF Infertility Treatment

When should you opt for surrogacy and what factors should you consider?

Surrogacy is the method that is used for reproduction in which a woman other than the woman, who wants to have the baby, agrees to undertake pregnancy and give birth to a child for the couple that appoints her. A couple can opt for surrogacy in the following conditions.

- infertility

In the case of females who cannot reproduce due to infertility or some other medical conditions that make the process risky for both the mother and the childlike heart diseases, liver infirmities and high blood pressure, surrogacy can opt for so that the couple can experience the bliss of becoming parents.

- if you are a single parent

A single parent can opt for surrogacy in order to fulfil his/her dream of having a child to live for.

- other factors

There are several other factors when a couple might want to opt for surrogacy. For instance, in couples, where the female is too busy building a stable career for herself and she cannot take the risk of opting for pregnancy, surrogacy can come to their rescue. Also, repeated miscarriages, pelvic disorder, hysterectomy, an impaired uterus or the absence of uterus can act as reasons to opt for surrogacy.

There are a few factors that need to be considered before opting for surrogacy. They are listed below.

Type of surrogacy

Traditional surrogacy and gestational surrogacy are the two options available. In traditional surrogacy, the surrogate mother not only carries the embryo in her womb until childbirth but also donates the egg. However in gestational surrogacy, the egg is taken from the biological mother and impregnated in the womb of the surrogate mother through in vitro fertilization techniques. The intended parents need to take a decision regarding the type of surrogacy that they wish to opt for.

Surrogacy laws

The intended parents must be aware of the surrogacy laws prevalent in their country so as to make sure that they can go through the entire process smoothly. For instance, in India, it is mandatory that the surrogate child should be biologically related to one of the two parents.

Cost of surrogacy

Another important factor that needs to be considered while opting for surrogacy is the cost of the undertaking. It can involve high costs due to the unpredictability of the situations surrounding the process, so the financial stability of the intended parents should be kept in mind. Also, choose the right agency or even if you choose an independent candidate to become the surrogate mother for your child, make a wise choice.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: IVF Vs. Surrogacy: Which is the Better Option?

Almost every couple wishes to have a family of their own. They eagerly wait to be expecting parents. It is a joyous, yet delicate occurrence in one's life. But sometimes, you might be deprived of this. For one reason or another, some couples are not able to conceive.

In vitro Fertilization (IVF) is a good option for couples who want to conceive but cannot. But there is one other option if IVF fails that is surrogacy. In fact, many women with fertility problems opt for surrogacy.

Surrogacy is of two types:
1. Traditional surrogacy: When the father's sperm is used to artificially inseminate the surrogate mother, then it is termed as traditional surrogacy. In this case, the surrogate mother is the biological mother. Donor sperm may also be used.

2. Gestational surrogacy: In this case, IVF is used. The egg from the mother and the sperm from the father is used to create an embryo. Then the embryo is placed into the surrogate's uterus. Here, the surrogate mother is only the "birth mother". The biological mother is one whose eggs were used.

Surrogacy is an expensive procedure. But still, it should be considered if you have been trying to conceive for too long. Why choose a surrogate mother in that case? There are various answers to that question.

If you are a woman, then you can consider surrogacy for the following reasons:

1. Medical issues with your uterus
a. You have your uterus surgically removed (hysterectomy)
b. Other medical conditions that can have dangerous effects when pregnant, like heart diseases.
2. The other obvious reason would be if your IVF cycle fails. It can be quite devastating to invest so much time and effort in IVF and not have any positive result. Surrogacy can prove to be beneficial in this case.
3. Surrogate mothers can help people who wish for parenthood but cannot adopt a child because of their marital conditions or age.

When should you opt for surrogacy and what factors should you consider?

Surrogacy is the method that is used for reproduction in which a woman other than the woman, who wants to have the baby, agrees to undertake pregnancy and give birth to a child for the couple that appoints her. A couple can opt for surrogacy in the following conditions.

- infertility

In the case of females who cannot reproduce due to infertility or some other medical conditions that make the process risky for both the mother and the childlike heart diseases, liver infirmities and high blood pressure, surrogacy can opt for so that the couple can experience the bliss of becoming parents.

- if you are a single parent

A single parent can opt for surrogacy in order to fulfil his/her dream of having a child to live for.

- other factors

There are several other factors when a couple might want to opt for surrogacy. For instance, in couples, where the female is too busy building a stable career for herself and she cannot take the risk of opting for pregnancy, surrogacy can come to their rescue. Also, repeated miscarriages, pelvic disorder, hysterectomy, an impaired uterus or the absence of uterus can act as reasons to opt for surrogacy.

There are a few factors that need to be considered before opting for surrogacy. They are listed below.

Type of surrogacy

Traditional surrogacy and gestational surrogacy are the two options available. In traditional surrogacy, the surrogate mother not only carries the embryo in her womb until childbirth but also donates the egg. However in gestational surrogacy, the egg is taken from the biological mother and impregnated in the womb of the surrogate mother through in vitro fertilization techniques. The intended parents need to take a decision regarding the type of surrogacy that they wish to opt for.

Surrogacy laws

The intended parents must be aware of the surrogacy laws prevalent in their country so as to make sure that they can go through the entire process smoothly. For instance, in India, it is mandatory that the surrogate child should be biologically related to one of the two parents.

Cost of surrogacy

Another important factor that needs to be considered while opting for surrogacy is the cost of the undertaking. It can involve high costs due to the unpredictability of the situations surrounding the process, so the financial stability of the intended parents should be kept in mind. Also, choose the right agency or even if you choose an independent candidate to become the surrogate mother for your child, make a wise choice.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: IVF Vs. Surrogacy: Which is the Better Option?