Surrogate mother: rights of surrogate mothers, prices. Use of donor sperm. Necessary documents for concluding an agreement between the parties

Surrogate (substitute) motherhood means the bearing and birth of a child conceived through in vitro fertilization. At the same time, the genetic material that becomes the basis of a new life does not belong to the woman herself, but to strangers for her, who, for whatever reason, cannot have offspring themselves.

The opportunity to use the services of a surrogate mother for many single people or infertile couples is the only way to get genetically related children. The method is in great demand, despite the need for significant financial investments.

Most Russians consider substitute motherhood to be something exotic and not entirely ethical. This is facilitated by the wide spread of various misconceptions.

Source: depositphotos.com

"Surrogate" children are different from "normal" children

A child born as a result of surrogacy is neither physically nor mentally different from their peers, conceived naturally or born by a biological mother who became pregnant through the IVF procedure. On the contrary, this baby has a higher chance of being born healthy - without genetic abnormalities and intrauterine developmental defects. The fact is that the procedure of artificial insemination of a surrogate mother is preceded by a thorough medical examination. With the same attention, doctors study the health status of future biological parents. Fertilized eggs prepared for the IVF procedure are selected in order to exclude possible anomalies. Bearing a "surrogate" baby, his birth and the first months of life are also under the strict supervision of specialists.

This cannot be. The genetic material that determines the features of appearance, such a child receives from biological parents. Fertilization and the first divisions of the embryo occur in a test tube. At the time of placement in the body of a surrogate mother, it has a complete set of genes that can no longer be supplemented. In the future, the baby will become like his mother and father. A woman who carried and gave birth to a child does not pass on any hereditary qualities to him.

"Surrogate" child is threatened with infertility in the future

In children born from surrogate mothers, no specific malformations of the reproductive system are observed. Moreover, substitute motherhood has officially existed for more than 40 years, and the first "surrogate" children have long become adults and have their own families. Among them, not a single case of infertility, directly due to the circumstances of conception, gestation or birth, has yet been registered.

The biological mother of the child must be young

This is wrong. The only condition for the use of the replacement motherhood method in this case is the ability of the biological mother's body to produce live eggs, which is possible not only during the period considered optimal for bearing a child, but also after a woman reaches 40 years of age, when pregnancy and childbirth are associated with certain risks.

Among the biological parents who resort to the help of surrogate mothers, there are many people who for a long time tried to have children, were treated for infertility, resorted to artificial insemination. In most cases, the biological mother is no longer very young. Often, substitute motherhood is resorted to by women who have missed the optimal age for bearing due to a passion for their careers.

The mature (over 40 years) age of the biological mother with any method of conception has an increased risk of the birth of a baby with developmental disabilities. A thorough check of fertilized eggs before their implantation in the body of a surrogate mother can significantly reduce this risk. In addition, today a woman has the opportunity to take advantage of the achievements of scientific and technological progress and store the eggs taken at the optimal reproductive age in frozen form for subsequent fertilization. At the same time, the probability of having a healthy child increases.

For conception, the egg of a surrogate mother is used

In most cases, family couples who are able to give normal germ cells resort to substitute motherhood. However, there are exceptions: sometimes, due to the unsatisfactory state of the reproductive system of future biological mothers, eggs are taken from their blood relatives (for example, sisters).

In some cases, single men wish to use surrogate motherhood. In such a situation, the future father has the opportunity to use an egg taken from an anonymous donor. In Russia, since 2012, there has been a legislative restriction that prohibits a surrogate mother from becoming a donor of genetic material at the same time.

Wealthy women use surrogacy to avoid childbirth

It is impossible to exclude such cases, but if they happen, then infrequently. The fact is that the procedure for taking eggs is a very difficult task. The ovarian puncture is performed under general anesthesia. For several weeks before this, the woman is forced to take hormonal drugs that activate the maturation of the follicles. All of these procedures are unpleasant and associated with certain risks.

As a rule, surrogate motherhood is resorted to by women who cannot conceive or bear a child due to age or serious pathologies that are incompatible with pregnancy. Such a decision is usually dictated by difficult life circumstances, and not by the desire to make life easier for yourself by avoiding the hardships of pregnancy and childbirth.

Surrogate mothers often keep their children to themselves

The risk of such a development of events is not excluded. During gestation and childbirth, a woman may become attached to the unborn baby and not be able to overcome the emotional stress associated with the need to transfer it to biological parents. A future surrogate mother must take a course with a psychologist, but this does not always help.

There is also a directly opposite possibility: relatives, mother and father, may refuse a newborn for psychological or some other reasons. Although each case of substitute motherhood is accompanied by the drawing up of an agreement regulating the obligations of the parties, there is no mechanism for the forced transfer of a “surrogate” child in our country.

Fortunately, such scenarios are extremely rare. As a rule, children born by surrogate mothers safely find their families.

Surrogacy is outlawed

In Russia, surrogacy, including commercial surrogacy, has been officially allowed since 2011. It is regulated by the Federal Law "On the Basics of Protecting the Health of Citizens in the Russian Federation", a number of articles of the Family Code, as well as orders of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation.

Despite the fact that legislative acts have a number of significant gaps, practice has established that not only officially registered married couples, but also citizens living in a civil marriage, as well as single women and men, have the right to use vicarious motherhood. Sometimes persons who are not in a marital relationship have to prove their right to motherhood or fatherhood in court. However, these cases are becoming more and more, and it is hoped that such problems will disappear over time.

The authorities of other states treat the practice of surrogate motherhood in different ways. It actually exists but is not regulated by law in Finland, Belgium, Spain and Greece. In countries such as Great Britain, Denmark, Israel, Canada, the Netherlands, surrogate motherhood is allowed with significant restrictions (as a rule, the provision of these services on a commercial basis is prohibited). In Belarus, only those women who are unable to bear a child due to serious health problems can use the help of surrogate mothers. On the territory of France, Sweden, Norway, Austria and Germany, substitute motherhood is completely prohibited.

The development of substitute motherhood is hampered not only by delusions about its safety for the unborn child. Many consider this way of acquiring offspring to be contrary to ethical standards. There is an opinion that the use of a woman's body to carry a genetically alien fetus violates her rights and is actually exploitation. Some people equate commercial surrogacy with child trafficking. A negative attitude is supported by the heads of the main religious denominations: they believe that the practice of vicarious motherhood undermines the foundations of family relations.

Nevertheless, it must be admitted that the services of surrogate mothers allow those people who in other circumstances would be deprived of such an opportunity to become happy parents. Most likely, this practice will develop especially successfully if legislators take care to study the existing problems and create an adequate legal basis for their solution.

Video from YouTube on the topic of the article:

With the development of reproductive medical technologies, infertile couples have more and more opportunities to become parents. Often they ask themselves the question: what does surrogate motherhood mean. In simple terms, this is the process of conceiving a child, in which three parties participate.

The genetic mother is the source of the eggs. The genetic father acts as a person from whom spermatozoa are collected for subsequent fertilization of oocytes taken from a woman. A surrogate mother is a girl who agreed to bear and give birth to a child for a married couple.

A woman who has expressed her consent to become a participant in the surrogate motherhood program can do this both free of charge and for a certain financial reward. The bottom line is that a girl who does not have the physical ability to give birth to a child can become a mother.

If we consider the procedure from the medical point of view, then it can be of two types. Therefore, let us consider in detail what a surrogate mother does, what each option means:

A traditional surrogate mother is a person for carrying and giving birth to a child for a couple who has a genetic connection with the baby.
A gestational surrogate mother is a variant in which the girl does not act as the genetic parent of the born child.

When a surrogate mother has already been found, what this means and where biological materials are taken from, we will consider in more detail.

First of all, let's consider who is and how is a traditional surrogate mother. This type is applicable in situations where it is impossible to obtain a healthy oocyte suitable for subsequent fertilization from the genetic mother. The material is taken either from a woman who agreed to carry a child, or from an egg donor.

Currently, in Russia, taking eggs from surrogate mothers for the subsequent bearing of a child is prohibited at the legislative level. It is also worth noting that the father will be biologically native to the baby, since fertilization is performed by his sperm.

A lot of questions remain regarding the concept of a gestational surrogate mother, this is when an egg is taken from a biological mother, fertilized in a test tube with the biological father's sperm, and after receiving the embryo, it is planted in the uterine cavity of the girl who will bear the fetus. With this technology, the surrogate mother is not a biologically related person for the child, the genetic parents will be the couple from whom the materials were taken.

Advantages and disadvantages

In the modern world, everyone expresses their own pros and cons of surrogate motherhood. This is not surprising, because there are always two sides: one is an infertile couple who wants to become happy parents, but due to certain physiological problems cannot fulfill their dream, the second is a social society in which many healthy people and happy parents condemn such actions.

Of course, there are pros and cons of surrogate motherhood, for example, according to statistics, more than 1,500 children were born in the world under the surrogate motherhood program. Nevertheless, such an option to acquire a biologically native child is far from unambiguous.

Advantages of surrogate motherhood:

This technique becomes the only opportunity for men and women who cannot have children to become happy parents of their baby. If it is possible to pay for the services of a surrogate mother, then the problem can be solved.
After birth, if the biological materials of the wife and husband were used, the child is clearly their genetic offspring, therefore, from the legal point of view, it is always considered native to them.
Bearing a child occurs in the conditions of the body and body of an absolutely healthy woman. Thanks to this, the risk of miscarriage or fading of pregnancy is minimized.
Professional surrogacy services allow you to save the health of a woman who is not capable of bearing a child, and in some situations even life. In a desperate attempt to become a happy parent, infertile women can put themselves in great danger.

It is important to understand that the desire of a woman to bear a child for an infertile couple is always voluntary. Therefore, you can completely exclude any operational actions in relation to it.

Cons of surrogate motherhood:

The cost of surrogate motherhood is quite high. Unfortunately, not every childless couple has a good financial wealth, so they cannot afford to become parents in this way.
The risk of psychological rejection cannot be ruled out. Many spouses are sure that after the baby is born, they will love him and feel a sense of responsibility or care. Sometimes it happens that after the birth of a child, he cannot become their own.
Surrogate mothers in the process of bearing a child and after his birth perceive him as their own, against this background, there is a high probability that the woman will not want to transfer him to genetic parents, then it will take a long time to resolve the conflict through the courts.
It is not ruled out that if a child ever finds out that it was not the woman who was raising him, he will have a severe psychological trauma.

Despite all the advantages and disadvantages, the services of a surrogate mother are quite in demand in reproductive clinics. Here, everyone must make a decision for himself and understand whether it is acceptable for him to solve the problem of infertility in this way, or not.

Peculiarities

When a couple is faced with the choice of whether to decide on such reproductive assisted technology, they have many doubts. In search of answers to the question: what is surrogate motherhood, there is more and more unknown.

Some clarification of this delicate procedure can always help in making a decision. After all, it is possible that if you find the wrong answer to the question, then you can never feel the joy of motherhood and fatherhood, even in this way.

If you study everything about surrogate motherhood, then first of all you should understand when it arose. For the first time, such a practice was carried out by British scientists. They were able to take an egg from one girl, fertilize it with the sperm of a healthy man, and then successfully transplant it into the uterine cavity of another woman.

In those distant times, the transfer of biological materials, in relation to the specific case described, was performed on the sister of an infertile woman. The birth of a healthy child using this method occurred in 1989. It turns out that surrogate motherhood is a fairly ancient technology, and besides, it has historical roots.

Considering in detail surrogate motherhood, what it is and how it happens, it is necessary to mention the indications for carrying out. First of all, this is necessary for those couples who do not have the physical ability to conceive a baby, and also do not want to take a child from an orphanage.

People who are not able to conceive a child in the traditional way and do not want adoption. In some cases, if it is allowed by the laws of the country where surrogacy is carried out, a healthy woman who does not want to spoil her figure or is afraid of pain during childbirth can resort to the services.

Sometimes same-sex couples are also interested in who a surrogate mother is. The fact is that for such people, such a service is the only way to have children with their own genes, naturally, only in those countries where same-sex relationships are not illegal.

A lot of people are still interested in searching for an answer to the question: surrogate motherhood - what is it - the level of legality and legality in different countries. Specifically, in Russia, such a method of assisted reproductive technology is permitted. But identical acts in Austria, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, some US states, France and Switzerland are prosecuted.

If you rely on certain articles of the Federal Law "On the Basics of Protecting the Health of Citizens", which is dated 01/01/2012, as well as some articles of the Family Code and other regulatory acts, the commerce of this service is also allowed in Russia. Perhaps that is why the attitude towards surrogate motherhood is both positive and negative. You can study the situation in different countries in detail on the request “video surrogacy”.

Requirements

If the concept of a surrogate mother, who it is and when it is necessary, everything is relatively clear, then it is not clear what kind of girls can become them. First of all, doctors pay attention to the state of physical and mental health of the candidate.

Until a contract for the provision of surrogate motherhood services is concluded with a girl and a married couple or a clinic, she is examined in detail in a reproductive center. If the state of health is satisfactory, then pay attention to age (permissible from 20 to 35 years). Candidates who do not have at least one child of their own are not accepted for surrogacy.

If a woman applying for this role has had or currently suffers from various bad habits, or she has been diagnosed with pathologies of a chronic and genetic type, then the candidate will be denied cooperation.

It is very important that a girl who decides on substitute motherhood for the first time clearly understands the definition of a surrogate mother, what it is and what rights and obligations she will have.

For this, there are competent lawyers who, even before the signing of the contract between the parties concerned, clearly explain all the provisions of the prepared contract, as well as what punishment follows for failure to fulfill obligations by both parties.

After all this, the girl is offered to think over her desire and decision for several days. If she agrees, then the contract is certified by a notary and enforced.

Programs

The principle of surrogate motherhood, in fact, is not so complicated as it might seem at first glance. The whole procedure is regulated by law and legally certified. In the event of conflict situations, their decisions are carried out in court.

Modern clinics always have a clear surrogacy program, but not everyone can use it. Taking such a step, clinic doctors and specialists first of all pay attention not to the whim of couples, but to medical indications for the procedure.

Surrogacy (2017) is necessary for couples with such indications:

Absence of a future mother's uterus (pathology can be both congenital and acquired);
Certain deformations of the cervix or uterine cavity, in which it is not possible to bear the child for the required period and give birth without complications;
Diagnosed oncological or other serious diseases;
Identification of pathologies in which pregnancy is a contraindication, because it threatens the life of a woman;
In those situations where couples have made several attempts to conceive through in vitro fertilization, but they have not been successful;
Three or more miscarriages, after which the doctor diagnosed habitual miscarriage.

At the legislative level, it is also provided that surrogate motherhood in 2017 can only be carried out by couples who are legally married. In some cases, a single woman may be a participant.

In order to choose a suitable program for a couple and implement it, spouses should contact a trusted surrogate motherhood institute, where specialists will provide qualified assistance and answer all questions.

Problems

It is very important to clearly understand that there are certain social aspects of surrogate motherhood. After all, there are a lot of opponents of such assisted reproductive technology, respectively, and the problems that have arisen will be of a multifaceted nature. From here, not quite ideal pictures of surrogate motherhood emerge.

A certain mass of people who do not accept surrogacy tend to think that children born by surrogate mothers are a kind of “commodity” that one side sells and the other buys

There were situations when well-to-do married couples or single women and men took the so-called servants (girls who do not have self-esteem and are ready for anything for the sake of money) into their families. Thanks to them, surrogate children also appeared, after which the couple no longer needed the services of girls. This is not a legal activity, and also contrary to moral principles.

If you understand the concept of surrogate, it means fake, not real. This is where women come from, for whom financial reward, a certain profit from a problem in the family, is a priority. Taking care of your health and creating favorable conditions for the unborn child go by the wayside. Therefore, a not quite healthy baby may be born.

Also, do not forget about the various feminist movements. Their participants are deeply convinced that such assisted reproductive technology will allow women to be sexually exploited. After such violence, children from surrogate mothers will begin to appear who will not be loved.

Church ministers are also ardent opponents of vicarious motherhood. The fact that a surrogate child is born can serve as a trigger for a violation of humanity, a violation of traditions, a departure from moral and spiritual values.

Probably the biggest problem is that the girls, who at the beginning of bearing the baby clearly realized that they could give him away after birth, realized after nine months of unity that this child was theirs. Natural instinct begins to emerge. The children of surrogate motherhood are also close and dear to them, so the desire to give them to genetic parents disappears.

Statistics

Many couples are interested in more than just surrogacy itself. Statistics also matter a lot. The picture clearly demonstrates the results of conceptions and childbirth carried out under various programs. The data are presented for 5 years.

Considering the fact that the treatment cycle is quite long, plus there are certain difficulties in collecting statistical data, more recent results for queries “surrogate mother 2017” are relatively ambiguous and may contain inaccuracies that distort the real situation.

Price

After a detailed study of the question: what is a surrogate mother and who can help in the implementation of the technology, it remains to find out the price of the issue.

On average, for the fact that a woman agreed to endure and give birth to a child for a married couple, she needs to pay half a million rubles. In addition, biological parents will need to fully pay for quality food for the surrogate mother. This can cost about 20 thousand rubles a month. About 600 thousand rubles more will have to be spent on the purchase of necessary medicines, as well as payment for artificial insemination procedures.

On the Internet, upon request, surrogate motherhood - a photo can be found detailing the costs. They are made by both clinics and parents who have completed the program.

Many do not always understand why the amount is so large. It is very easy to explain the high cost of the procedure. Initially, it should be understood that the probability of conception after the first IVF procedure is quite low. Sometimes you have to do two or three. Also, let's not forget about the natural factor, because who is a surrogate mother is, first of all, a person who cannot guarantee that she will not experience rejection or fading of pregnancy.

If you resort to the help of elementary mathematics, you can understand that the cost of the procedure is very high. On average, parents spend more than one million on surrogacy.

This price also always includes the payment for the services of a professional lawyer, who clearly explains who the surrogate mothers are and describes all the details of the contract, what awaits the woman if, after birth, she refuses to give the child to the biological parents.

Only after the couple has studied in detail the question on the topic: what is a surrogate mother and why is it necessary, can they psychologically prepare for the process and find a good clinic, they can decide on the implementation of their plan.

About surrogacy (video)

Maria Sokolova

Reading time: 9 minutes

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This manipulation is a relatively new reproductive technique, in which the creation of an embryo occurs outside the body of a surrogate mother, and then the fertilized oocytes are introduced into her uterus.

Such a technology of bearing a fetus provides for the conclusion of an agreement between genetic parents (or a single woman / man who wants their own child) and a surrogate mother.

Terms of the surrogacy program in Russia

The procedure under consideration today enjoys considerable popularity, especially among foreigners.

The fact is that the legislation of some countries prohibits their citizens within the state from using the services of surrogate mothers. Such citizens seek and find a way out in this situation on the territory of Russia: surrogate motherhood is officially allowed here.

Over the past few years, there has also been an increase in the number of Russian couples who, for certain reasons, cannot give birth to children on their own, and therefore turn to the services of surrogate mothers.

The legal aspects of this procedure are regulated by the following legal acts:

Family Code of the Russian Federation (dated December 29, 1995 No. 223-FZ).
Here (Articles 51, 52) the fact is prescribed that for the official registration of a child by his parents, the consent of the woman who carried this very child is required. If she refuses, the court will be on her side, and the child will remain with her in any case. There are very few official legal proceedings on this matter: women agree to bear other people's children in order to improve their financial condition, and an additional child will mean additional costs. Although some women may blackmail their customers in order to increase the fee.
To minimize the risk of encountering scammers, it is better for future parents to contact a specialized law firm, but you will have to pay a decent amount for this.
You can also look for a surrogate mother among friends, relatives, but problems of a different nature may arise here. When the child grows up, his psychological state can be affected by the fact that the biological mother is one person, and the one who carried him is another woman, who is also a close person for the whole family, and with whom he will periodically meet.
Using the Internet to find a surrogate mother can also be unsafe, although there are several relatively reliable sites with lots of ads and reviews.
Federal Law "On Civil Status Acts" (November 15, 1997 No. 143-FZ).
Article 16 specifies the list of documents that are required when applying for the birth of a child. Here again, the obligatory consent of the mother who gave birth to the recording of customers by parents is mentioned. This document must be certified by the head physician, gynecologist (who took delivery), a lawyer.
When writing a refusal to give birth, the newborn will be transferred to the baby's home, and genetic parents will need to go through the adoption procedure in the future.
Federal Law "On the Fundamentals of Protecting the Health of Citizens in the Russian Federation" (November 21, 2011 No. 323-FZ).
Article 55 provides an explanation for surrogate motherhood, prescribes the conditions that a woman who wants to become a surrogate mother must comply with.
However, this legal act states that either a married couple or a single woman can be genetic parents. The law says nothing about single men who want to have offspring through the use of a surrogate mother.
The situation with regard to homosexual couples is not entirely clear. In these cases, you definitely need the help of a lawyer.
Order of the Ministry of Health of Russia "On the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) dated August 30, 2012 No. 107n.
Here paragraphs 77-83 are devoted to the topic of surrogate motherhood. It is in this legislative act that clarifications are given on the cases in which the manipulation in question is shown; a list of tests that a woman should undergo before the introduction of a donor embryo; IVF algorithm.

Indications for applying to surrogate motherhood - who can use it?

Partners can use this procedure in the presence of the following pathologies:

Congenital / acquired anomalies in the structure of the uterus or its cervix.
Serious violations in the structure of the mucosal layer of the uterus.
Pregnancies always end in miscarriage. She has a history of three spontaneous miscarriages.
Absence of a uterus. This includes cases of loss of an important genital organ due to diseases, or defects from birth.
. A high-quality embryo was repeatedly (at least three times) introduced into the uterus, but the pregnancy did not take place.

single men Those who want to acquire heirs must resolve surrogacy issues with lawyers. But, as practice shows, in Russia such a desire can be translated into reality.

Requirements for a surrogate mother - who can become a surrogate mother and what examination do you need to pass?

In order to become a surrogate mother, a woman must meet several requirements:

Stages of surrogate motherhood - what will be the path to happiness?

The procedure for the introduction of a donor embryo into the uterine cavity of a surrogate mother takes place in several stages:

Measures to achieve synchrony of menstrual cycles genetic mother and surrogate mother.
Through hormonal drugs, Dr. provokes superovulation from the genetic mother. The selection of drugs is carried out individually, in accordance with the state of the ovaries and endometrium.
Egg retrieval under the control of an ultrasound machine transvaginally or by laparoscopy (if transvaginal access is not possible). This procedure is very painful and is performed under general anesthesia. For high-quality preparation before and after manipulation, strong enough preparations should be taken. The extracted biological material can be stored for a long time, but it costs a lot of money (about 28-30 thousand rubles a year).
Fertilization of the genetic mother's eggs with partner/donor sperm. For these purposes, IVF or ICSI is used. The latter method is more reliable and expensive, but it is used only in some clinics.
Cultivation of several embryos at once.
Placement of embryos in the uterine cavity of a surrogate mother. Often the doctor is limited to two embryos. If the genetic parents insist on the implantation of three embryos, the consent of the surrogate mother should be obtained after her conversation with the doctor about the possible consequences of such a manipulation.
The use of hormonal drugs to maintain pregnancy.

The cost of surrogacy in Russia

The cost of the manipulation under consideration is determined several components:

Expenses for examination, observation, medical preparations. Here, much will depend on the status of a particular clinic. On average, all these activities take 650 thousand rubles.
Payment to a surrogate mother for carrying and giving birth to a donor embryo will cost at least 800 thousand rubles. For twins, an additional amount is withdrawn (+ 150-200 thousand rubles). Such moments should be discussed in advance with the surrogate mother.
Monthly nutrition of surrogate mother costs 20-30 thousand rubles.
Cost of one IVF procedure will vary within 180 thousand rubles. Not always a surrogate mother can get pregnant on the first try: sometimes a successful pregnancy occurs after 3-4 manipulations, and this is an additional expense.
For the birth of a child it can take a maximum of 600 thousand rubles (with complications).
The layer's services , who will deal with the legal support of the manipulation in question, will amount to at least 50 thousand rubles.

Today, when going through the Surrogacy program, you should be ready to part with at least 1.9 million rubles. The maximum amount can reach up to 3.7 million rubles.

If a woman wants to give birth to a child for a family that for some reason cannot do it herself, then this looks noble. But for many representatives of the fair sex, the maternal instinct is stronger than nobility. For religious and ethical reasons, a large number of countries at the state level prohibit this procedure. But this ban, fortunately for childless families, does not apply to Russia.

What is surrogacy?

Often this is the only way to become parents. In this case, a woman who is physically unable to bear a child becomes a mother. From a medical point of view, surrogacy is of two types:

1. Traditional - a surrogate mother bears a child, this woman will be the genetic parent of the child.

2. Gestational (complete) - when a woman carries and gives birth to a child that is not genetically native to her.

In the first case, it is impossible to obtain an egg that is completely healthy for fertilization from a real mother, and then it is taken from a woman who has decided to become a surrogate mother. The father of the child will be biologically native, his spermatozoa are healthy, and they are used during fertilization.

In the second case, the mother's egg is fertilized by the father's sperm. A small number of embryos are placed in the uterus of a woman who has decided to become a surrogate mother. In this case, the child is alien to the woman who carries it, and genetically related to the couple who provided their eggs and sperm.

How to become a surrogate mother?

Many young women have heard about surrogate motherhood and want to help those couples who really want children, but cannot give birth themselves, and at the same time do not know how to become a surrogate mother. You have already given birth and have your child, and your age is in the range of 20-35 years? If your answer is yes, then you meet the basic selection criteria.

How do you become a surrogate mother? First of all, you should fill out a special form on the website or contact a surrogacy agency. There you will be asked questions regarding your health, anthropometric data (weight and height), they will also ask how many children you have and what age they are.

As a rule, women who want to carry and give birth to a surrogate child are first of all sent for an interview with a psychologist. This is done so that there is no doubt that you will perform your duties well. After that, you will have a medical examination absolutely free of charge. If everything is in order with your health and no abnormalities are found during the examination, then you will be included in the database of surrogate mothers.

Once you are selected by your biological parents, you can begin the program immediately.

What is the cost of surrogacy?

The number of families that are willing to pay big money just to become parents is growing every year. The amount of the fee that the surrogate mother receives also rises.

Today, not taking into account medical care and maintenance for the period of pregnancy, the cost of surrogate motherhood in our country is in the range of 15-40 thousand dollars. If a couple is trying to find a surrogate mother on their own, then all these issues can be resolved on their own or they can ask for help at the reproduction center, which will select the necessary woman.

These centers, in addition to the selection of healthy women, also provide the necessary medical support. This includes the fertilization of an egg, the implantation of an embryo in the uterine cavity, monitoring the course of pregnancy, and delivery.

The activities of the centers also include the legal side of the matter - they draw up contracts with surrogate mothers and documents for the child after his birth. You can find out about the cost of services in such centers on their websites.

Problems of surrogate motherhood

The main problem is the danger that the surrogate mother will turn out to be an unbalanced woman who does not want to give the baby away, or even a scammer.

Often there are cases when a woman cannot get pregnant the first time. And each next attempt is not only additional financial costs for future parents, but also additional stress.

Also, a surrogate mother may be in an unreliable position. After all, if a married couple refuses a child, no one can force them to take him away. Often, biological parents abandoned an unhealthy baby, it happened that more children were born than they expected (usually, for a greater likelihood of engraftment, not one, but several embryos are planted at once). In this case, the woman who gave birth to them can stay with the baby in her arms. Then she can only receive the amount specified in the contract and alimony from the biological father.

Because of this, both a woman who has decided on surrogacy and future parents who want to use her services usually seek help from the Surrogacy Centers. The psychologists working there will explain to them all the risks and consequences in this case. After that, each of them will decide for himself how to proceed.

In our time, childbirth by a surrogate mother causes a lot of fierce debate and different opinions. But still, we can rejoice for those families who will have a child.

Laws governing the main provisions of surrogacy

According to the legislation in force in the Russian Federation, every woman who wishes can become a surrogate mother. According to this law, children from surrogate mothers belong to them. This means that if a woman does not want to give the baby to a married couple, then no one can take it from her. This is clearly spelled out in article 51 part 4. Genetic parents will be recognized as legal only if the girl giving birth agrees. This is used by scammers who want to get more money from customers.

But a considerable advantage of Russian legislation is that immediately after a woman refuses a child, genetic parents are entered in the column “father” and “mother”. They do not need to adopt a baby and go through this long and exhausting procedure.

What should be a surrogate mother?

Requirements for candidates:

The age of the surrogate mother must be between 20 and 35 years old.

A prerequisite is the presence of at least one child.

Satisfactory state of health (medical report).

Written consent to medical intervention.

Written consent of the spouse if the woman is married.

Is it necessary to be married?

No, this is not mandatory. The law says that it is not necessary to be married if the couple has in their hands such a document as consent to medical intervention.

How to find a surrogate mother?

Surrogate motherhood is supported by special companies. Choose only well-known agencies that have a good reputation. The agency is engaged in the search for surrogate mothers, their examination and preparation for childbirth, and also helps to draw up contracts and estimates and solve problems that sometimes arise during pregnancy.

Expect that the services of the agency will cost a lot, because the price includes the search for a candidate for the role of a surrogate mother, IVF, in addition, a woman carrying a baby should receive a financial allowance during pregnancy and during childbirth.

After the child is born and the parents have issued his birth certificate, the agreed fee should be paid. Legal services also cost a lot. After all, a good operator has a staff of lawyers to protect the interests of its customers. But, despite the fact that you will lay out a round sum in the agency for the birth of your son or daughter, you will be protected both financially and legally.

You can also do your own research. You can find a candidate via the Internet in your city or another city, but a surrogate mother in Russia often does not fully understand what is required of her. And she has to explain for a long time all the subtleties of surrogate motherhood. In addition, such a woman may turn out to be a scammer whose goal is to extract more money from unfortunate families. Therefore, we still recommend contacting special agencies.

Surrogacy process

The process is carried out by two methods - IVF + ICSI and IVF.

IVF - eggs and sperm join themselves in a Petri dish.

ICSI - the embryologist inserts the sperm into the egg. This is the most effective method, obtaining pregnancy - 67-75%.

The process of giving birth

Childbirth by a surrogate mother is no different from the usual. These are specially selected women with excellent health, with a wide structure of the pelvis (which is important for the passage of the child), and they already have experience in how to behave during childbirth.

The conclusion of the medical commission on the health status of the future surrogate mother and her professional suitability is a legal document. The conclusion is given on the basis of multiple examinations (how did the first pregnancy proceed, how did the birth go, were there any complications during pregnancy and childbirth, the condition of the newborn according to the Apgar scale and other data).

Surrogate mothers are women who have already given birth at least once. And they give birth more easily and quickly than primiparas. This is due to the fact that in multiparous birth canals are wider and the baby in such conditions is much more comfortable to be born:

Asphyxia of the newborn is excluded;

Much less likely to get a birth injury;

There is no risk of deforming the skull.

conclusions

Surrogacy is the best way for couples to become parents when their health condition makes it impossible to do so in the usual way. Thanks to the Family Code of Russia, you can legally receive a child who will not need to be adopted and who will be genetically related to you. After all, many couples do not want to adopt a completely “alien” child. The rights of surrogate mothers are also protected by the law of the Russian Federation. Therefore, you can safely contact special clinics, and they will help you. Prices for this service can vary greatly, it all depends on the person who will bear the child. In specialized agencies, the price will be much higher than when looking for a woman on your own. But the likelihood of a successful outcome is much higher.

With some types of infertility, not only the process of conception is impossible, but also gestation, as well as childbirth. The way out in this situation is surrogate motherhood. In our country, this procedure is officially allowed.

Despite the fact that the bearing of a child by another woman is allowed at the legislative level, it is condemned by some social institutions, including the Orthodox Church. The opposition of ideas regarding surrogacy makes it a subject of discussion, although for some couples this procedure is the only way to become parents.

Surrogate motherhood refers to assisted reproductive technologies. Its essence lies in the fact that the conception and birth of a child occurs with the participation of 3 people:

genetic father- a man who provides sperm for fertilization and agrees to arrange for the adoption of a child after his birth.
genetic mother- a woman who provides an egg for fertilization and agrees to arrange for the adoption of a child after childbirth.
Surrogate mother- a woman who agrees to carry, give birth and subsequently abandon a child conceived using the material of genetic parents.

In some cases, 2 people participate in surrogate motherhood: a man providing sperm and a woman providing an egg, carrying and giving birth to a child, but not claiming to raise him, that is, agreeing to give up parental rights. In other words, the genetic and surrogate mother are the same person.

Such situations occur if:

in a married couple wishing to have a child, the woman cannot become an egg donor due to infertility;
the foster mother is absent, the child wants to have a single father or a homosexual couple.

In Russia, this practice is prohibited. It is legally approved that a surrogate mother should not be an egg donor.

Common stereotypes

Surrogacy faces many ethical issues. His criticism is based on several ideas. First, the child begins to be regarded as a commodity that has value. This situation is exacerbated when the surrogate mother is unwilling to sign a waiver of the newborn, without increasing the previously approved cost of the service.

Secondly, surrogate motherhood can be seen as a way of exploiting women. And, thirdly, the intervention of an outsider in marriage - the conception and bearing of a child - undermines the sanctity of the union (religious point of view).

More justified fears are related to the fact that surrogate motherhood psychologically traumatizes a woman who has to give up a child she has carried and born. And although at the beginning of the procedure, most surrogate mothers are convinced that they can easily part with a newborn, in practice this is far from always the case.

But despite all the criticism, surrogacy remains in demand among infertile couples. For them, this method is the only way to raise a genetically native child. From the psychological side, this procedure is similar to the usual adoption.

According to supporters of surrogate motherhood, it is not an example of the commercialization of childbearing, but is based on cooperation and a desire to help. Exploitation in this case does not occur, a woman who decides to become a gestational courier is rewarded financially for this and receives moral satisfaction from the fact that it benefits and makes other people happy.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantage of surrogate motherhood is obvious - an infertile couple has the opportunity to raise a biologically native child. And this is the main point of the procedure. Another plus is that a woman carrying a baby receives both material and moral rewards: she earns a fairly large amount of money and makes happy people who have no other opportunity to become parents.

But surrogate motherhood also has its downsides. This method of conception, gestation and birth is not natural and therefore can cause psychological problems for both the genetic parents and the attracted woman.

The couple has the same problems as with the usual adoption of a child: the feeling that he is not native, the absence or lack of love, affection. Surrogate mothers, as already noted, experience a sense of loss when parting with a newborn.

Also, the disadvantages of the procedure include difficulties in selecting a surrogate mother and legal registration of all possible nuances: complications at the stage of conception, gestation or childbirth, unwillingness to sign a waiver of the child.

For more than 9 months, future parents are in tension, as they cannot influence the course of pregnancy. In addition, the procedure itself is not only lengthy, but also financially costly.

What is the cost of surrogacy?

The cost of such a service can be different, on average it ranges from 1 to 3 million rubles. To minimize the risk of medical complications and legal problems, surrogacy should be registered with trusted companies. They control all aspects of this process.

The amount of the procedure will be fixed, in case of serious complications at any of the stages or the unwillingness of the surrogate mother to abandon the child, the couple will receive compensation and a refund.

The following paid services are most often listed in the contract with the medical center:

monthly payments to the surrogate mother throughout the entire period of gestation;
payment for a complex of medical procedures necessary for the collection of material, conception, pregnancy and childbirth;
payment of housing rent for a surrogate mother, if she lives in another locality;
salary compensation when a married couple does not want the woman to work during the period of embroidering a child;
childbirth reward.

There is also related surrogacy. In this case, a relative of the husband or wife bears a baby for the couple, sometimes free of charge.

What are the requirements for surrogate mothers?

Not every woman can become a surrogate mother. The list of requirements looks like this:

the woman must voluntarily agree to participate in the procedure;
her age must be at least 20 and not more than 35 years;
it is important that she has at least one born healthy child;
the woman herself must be healthy physically and mentally.

Also, future parents often indicate in the requirements a positive Rh factor in the blood of a surrogate mother. In order to confirm the absence of diseases, she is prescribed an ultrasound of the pelvic organs, fluorography and a number of laboratory examinations: both general and to detect infections.

It is also necessary to consult a psychiatrist, narcologist, therapist. If after a comprehensive examination there are no contraindications to pregnancy, then the candidacy of a surrogate mother is documented.

In what cases do they use the services of surrogate mothers?

Surrogate motherhood is indicated in the case of infertility of a married couple, in which it is impossible to conceive, bear a child or give birth. You can enumerate a list of such situations:

a woman has no uterus as a result of congenital pathology or surgical intervention;
the cavity or cervix of the uterus is deformed as a result of congenital malformations or previous diseases;
inside the uterus there are adhesions that cannot be eliminated;
there are serious diseases of the internal organs that do not allow to endure and give birth to a child;
earlier there were unsuccessful attempts of artificial insemination, despite obtaining high quality embryos.

How is everything going?

The process of carrying a child by a surrogate mother consists of several stages:

Preparation. For successful implantation of the embryo, the endometrium of the uterus of the surrogate mother must be mature. To this end, with the help of hormonal drugs, the doctor synchronizes the cycles of two women (donor and gestational courier).
Diagnostic. Spouses and a surrogate mother undergo a full range of examinations, including various types of laboratory tests, ultrasound of the pelvic organs, consultations of a therapist, gynecologist, andrologist, genetics.
superovulation induction. According to the scheme, the genetic mother is injected with hormonal preparations, and several eggs at once become ready for fertilization. This is necessary to obtain more material and the possibility of selecting the highest quality embryos.
Collection of sperm. A man by masturbation collects material for the fertilization of the egg.
Follicle puncture. Through the vagina or laparoscopically, eggs are retrieved from the ovaries of the genetic mother.
Fertilization. The eggs and sperm are placed in a Petri dish and kept in the incubator for 12 hours.
Cultivation of embryos. Fertilized cells develop within a few days in a special medium (preparation). At this time, the embryologist observes the development of embryos and separates the most high-quality, viable ones.
Embryo transfer. A surrogate mother is injected with liquid with embryos (no more than 3) into the uterine cavity using a catheter. After this procedure, the woman takes hormonal preparations with progesterone for successful implantation of the fetal egg.
Evaluation of IVF results. 3 weeks after the introduction of the embryos into the uterine cavity of the surrogate mother, pregnancy is confirmed by ultrasound.
Gestation and childbirth. Pregnancy management in surrogate motherhood requires more careful monitoring by the gynecologist, since the likelihood of complications is higher. Childbirth takes place in the standard mode.

Rights of biological parents and surrogate mothers

After the birth, the surrogate mother signs the rejection of the child, and his biological parents formalize the adoption. These items should be spelled out in the contract for the provision of services. According to the Family Code of the Russian Federation, a surrogate mother has the right to refuse to transfer the child to genetic parents. Then her data is indicated in the birth certificate and she cannot demand any alimony and other payments.

Unfortunately, in such cases, it is very difficult to protect the rights of a married couple; payment for surrogacy services at the level of the Law is not provided. In this regard, some medical centers that provide this service guarantee compensation and a full refund if the woman who carried and gave birth to the child decides to keep it.

According to the law, a surrogate mother can find out in advance about all aspects of the procedure, including external data and the nationality of the genetic parents. But personal information about donors and the fact of IVF is a medical secret.

Surrogacy allows infertile couples to have a biological child. However, this procedure is not natural, and therefore is criticized. In Russia, surrogacy is officially allowed and regulated by several legislative acts.

Useful video: surrogate motherhood in Russia

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