How to find a surrogate mother for the birth of a child and how much the services cost?

Selecting surrogacy as a means of becoming a parent is an extremely intimate and frequently difficult choice. When natural conception or adoption aren’t an option for a couple or an individual, many turn to this option. It’s crucial to know the procedures involved in selecting the ideal surrogate mother.

Emotional and financial considerations must be carefully considered when considering surrogacy. Even though the process can be very enjoyable, it also entails negotiating contracts, medical procedures, and large expenses. Making wise decisions along the road requires knowing where to begin and what to anticipate.

This post will discuss how to locate a surrogate mother, what qualities to look for in a potential surrogate, and the typical cost of surrogacy services. This guide will assist you in comprehending the necessary steps involved in surrogacy, regardless of whether you’re just starting the process or are seeking more in-depth information.

Where to look?

The legal framework in Russia does not place restrictions on who is eligible to serve as a surrogate mother. The Ministry of Health is the only body that sets limitations; these are stringent guidelines regarding the candidate’s health, whether or not she is a mother, etc. In certain nations, such as Israel, selecting a surrogate mother from among family members is against the law. There isn’t one of these in our nation. As a result, the following information can be used to determine where to look for a woman who can bear your child:

• through friends and relatives (any relative of reproductive age will do);
• through specialized reproductive agencies;
• in the clinic where the infertile woman is being observed;
• via the Internet.

An impartial search will enable you to find a trustworthy individual without the need for middlemen and save money.

But keep in mind that there is a flip side to this coin: after the baby is born, you probably won’t want to see this friend or relative as a guest, and your relationship will probably suffer. Sadly, this is unavoidable.

Online searches appear alluring and simple, as many forums and advertisements will respond to your request to "find a surrogate mother." Reputable gestational couriers—the term used to refer to surrogate moms who have been approved by the World Health Organization—generally avoid posting their offers online because they do not wish to fall prey to scammers.

However, a plethora of women can be found on the Internet who are willing to present you with fictitious medical certifications regarding their current state of health as soon as tomorrow in order to obtain an advance payment from their biological parents for their services.

Online fraud is growing in a number of ways. Someone introduces themselves as a middleman. When you actually meet him, he presents you to a modest and attractive woman who, of course, possesses all the credentials. The issue is that a number of the certificates turn out to be expired. They disappear after taking your money for a follow-up exam. These "intermediaries" from the Internet typically trick a few couples before changing their phone number and offering their services as intermediaries once more under a different alias.

Another scam involves a prospective candidate reaching out to you directly, requesting funds to cover her travel expenses to your city, possibly from another location in Russia or even one of the CIS nations, and then abruptly ceasing communication. Some people, even after they sign a contract with the "customers," consciously choose not to become pregnant. In this instance, the reason why multiple IVF attempts have failed will remain a mystery to both medical professionals and biological parents. The woman will take hormone medications to prevent pregnancy in the interim, and she will demand further advances from her biological parents on each attempt.

The most dependable method, albeit less economical, is looking through clinics and reproductive agencies. A personal registry of gestational couriers is present in almost every sizable clinic that uses IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies. Reproductive agencies maintain more comprehensive surrogate mother registers; all applicants are subjected to a comprehensive medical examination prior to registration, receive a diagnosis from a psychiatrist, narcologist, and geneticist, and furnish all necessary documentation to be eligible for program participation. The legal advisors for the agencies decide whether to allow the gestational courier to join the program only after reviewing them.

Although no clinic or agency can promise that there won’t be any issues with the surrogate mother they recommend at any point, there is a much higher chance of a successful search in this case.

In addition to providing advice, attorneys will assist in drafting a proper contract that satisfies all parties’ interests and is entirely lawful between the "customers" and the "performer."

Requirements for the candidate

The Ministry of Health’s order No. 107-n, which governs the process for providing assisted reproductive medical care to the Russian populace, clearly outlines the requirements, as was previously mentioned. But because we are talking about the health of their future and the well-being of a much-anticipated child, prospective biological parents should receive the same guidance in this regard as Ministry of Health officials.

The following are the prerequisites that a woman must fulfill in order to become pregnant for someone else:

• Age. The ideal age is considered to be the age of the highest reproductive activity – from 20 to 35 years.
• Presence of a child. It plays a role how your child was conceived, whether this conception was natural. The method of delivery is also important. If the candidate had a cesarean section, she will not be able to be a gestational carrier.
• Marital status. If a potential candidate is married, be sure to ask her for a notarized consent of the husband for the wife to participate in the IVF program as a surrogate mother. If the candidate is divorced or lives in a civil marriage, such a document is not required.
• Health status. A detailed list of tests and medical specialists is available at your clinic or in the order of the Ministry of Health No. 107-n. In addition to a variety of tests, a woman is required to provide certificates from a psychiatrist and a narcologist, while the psychiatrist makes a separate conclusion about sanity.
• Genetic clearance. A geneticist will make a conclusion about the woman"s health at the genetic level. Her oocytes will not be used in IVF, this is prohibited by law in Russia, but a genetic conclusion is important to exclude some hereditary diseases in the woman herself, because they can manifest themselves during pregnancy.
• No criminal record. A woman who declares her intention to carry your child must have a valid certificate of no criminal record, as well as that at the moment she is not a suspect and is not under investigation.

Although their services are less expensive, you can try to find a surrogate mother in Belarus or Ukraine, though the requirements set forth by their respective Ministries of Health may differ. As a result, the majority of Russian clinics attempt to work exclusively with Russian-citizen women. If you feel that this is a crucial matter, request verification using your Russian passport and SNILS.

Take note of the woman’s personality, including her level of responsibility, her bad habits, and her intellectual development. This will clarify for you how she will handle her responsibilities as bearing a child for someone else is actual labor. A set routine, vitamin intake, healthy eating, abstaining from alcohol and tobacco, and timely doctor visits are all necessary.

Don’t forget to consider the build. Women who are overweight or clearly obese will find it more difficult to carry a pregnancy to term, and serious complications like gestosis may arise. That child will suffer as a result, and he will be yours by blood and genetics. If we are discussing a positive Rh factor, it is crucial that the blood Rh factors of the biological mother match.

To prevent the emergence of a Rh conflict during pregnancy, it is preferable to rule out gestational couriership for women with a negative Rh factor.

It takes careful searching through private or agency arrangements to find a surrogate mother to assist in bringing a child into your family. To guarantee a safe journey for all parties involved, the process involves screening potential surrogates for emotional, legal, and health readiness. Usually ranging from $50,000 to $150,000 or more, the cost can vary greatly based on factors such as location, agency fees, medical costs, and legal support. Before taking this route, it’s critical to make a detailed plan and comprehend the emotional and financial commitments.

Risks and dangers

In order to restrict communication with an unidentified woman while she is pregnant, biological parents can employ the services of a curator. A clinic or reproductive agency will designate a mediator, who will oversee the fulfillment of the terms of the agreement by both parties.

The surrogate mother’s biological parents must provide a monthly allowance, manage the entire pregnancy process in a reasonable manner, and cover all costs associated with food purchases, apartment rentals during the pregnancy, clothing purchases, vitamin purchases, and anything else recommended by the attending physician.

Be cautious; there are gestational couriers who will use an abortion as a form of blackmail if you don’t agree to do things like buy them an apartment or raise the fee that was previously agreed upon by both parties.

Cost

The cost of surrogate mother services is high. In Russia, the contract price typically ranges from 800,900,000 rubles to over 3 million rubles, depending on the region and the standard of living there. This is the price of giving birth by itself. You will be responsible for paying the surrogate mother’s monthly payments, which range from $15,000 to $50,000, for nine months. plus all associated costs (lease, meals, sanatorium or spa treatment coupons).

You should be ready for the fact that a private clinic will handle the pregnancy management and that all expenses will be covered. The biological parents are also accountable for covering medical expenses. In addition, you will have to handle the surrogate mother’s temporary registration in our nation if she is from a nearby state.

Because they are more predictable, experienced surrogate moms—who have already completed successful maternity contracts—are substantially more expensive than "newbies."

There is no legal restriction on the amount of payment that a female gestational courier may determine for herself. Everything will depend on the candidate’s requests and the couple’s capacity to fulfill them.

Selecting a surrogate mother has the potential to change a person’s life, but caution must be exercised in the process. Make sure you look into all of your options, including using a surrogacy agency, internet resources, or personal relationships. Throughout the process, put the surrogate’s welfare and any legal agreements first.

The cost of surrogacy can vary significantly based on the nation and particular services required. It’s critical to set aside money for surrogate pay, legal fees, and medical costs. Before proceeding, take your time to learn about and comprehend the financial obligations.

Creating a family is the ultimate goal of surrogacy, so make sure that the procedure is conducted with kindness, openness, and respect. Creating a solid support network for the surrogate and yourself is essential to a satisfying experience.

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