Are Surrogates Selling Babies, especially for the LGBTQ?
If you poke around for a few minutes on the internet you are bound to find an article accusing surrogates of selling babies. Can we all say the word ILLEGAL all together? Surrogacy definitely does not equate to the selling of babies, regardless of LGBTQ or not. No matter what some say, any money a surrogate may make is nothing compared to a full-time job. What payments a surrogate does receive is to either assist her in taking care of herself, taking care of the unborn baby she carries OR reimbursements for co-pays or incidentals needed to follow her contract throughout the surrogacy process.
A first-time surrogate receives forty thousand dollars. That may seem like a lot on the face of things, but the average surrogacy journey lasts for at least 15-18 months. Have you added up day care costs per week these days? And that calculation would only be for 5 days a week for 9-10 hours. If it were 24/7, I would hazard a bet that it would be more than 4k per month. There is a benefit package that often accompanies the base fee which includes reimbursements for things like lost wages, child care, housekeeping, and maternity clothing, to name a few. There is also compensation for invasive procedures like amniocentesis, C-sections or D&C’s.
In Gestational Surrogacy, women are volunteering to carry a baby for another person or couple. Yes, there is money involved. Payments are also made to the clinic, the egg donor, the RE, the attorney, the mental health professionals, the pharmacy, the OBGYN, and the hospital. This list doesn’t even include any specialist that might be involved with the pregnancy/birth. Surrogacy is an expensive process no matter how you look at it.
The thing to remember is that surrogacy is an unselfish act and a feeling that has to start in the heart. Of course, there are other reasons and rewards that women may want to be a surrogate, but the main point is helping others have the children they desire to make them parents. It’s simple really. People helping people, families helping families. What could be wrong with that?
If you’d like to talk to us more about how you can help another family grow, too, fill out our intake form here.