If you’ve been fighting the fertility battle for a long while and you’ve started looking into alternatives like surrogacy, you may be facing the moral and emotional dilemmas associated with those choices. Surrogacy involves finding a woman willing to carry a child to term for a couple. There are multiple dimensions to surrogacy, but in some cases, couples look close to home for a surrogate, which brings about the question – should you choose a family member as your surrogate?
The Pros of Family Surrogacy
Who better understands your fight with infertility than a family member? They’ve watched you fight the good fight and make tons of lifestyle changes to improve fertility to no avail. They’ve offered a shoulder to lean on, an ear to fill with tears and arms to rest inside when things seemed impossible. These are the emotional benefits, but what about practicality?
If the family member you’ve chosen is in good health, there may be little cost associated with the pregnancy. You don’t have to pay the cost of surrogacy associated with choosing a surrogate outside the family and if you live close by, you can attend all prenatal visits – staying connected with the pregnancy from start to finish.
The Cons of Family Surrogacy
The relationship you have with your family member may be strained during the pregnancy if you overstep your bounds and attempt to control all aspects of the pregnancy. There are health risks associated with pregnancy that all women take when conceiving, as well.
In the end, choosing between a stranger and a family member to surrogate your child is an extremely difficult decision – one that should not be taken lightly. Weigh both the pros and cons of surrogacy first, and then take into consideration the types of surrogates available. In some cases, money may be the deciding factor as not all couples have the funds to hire an outside surrogate, but money should not be the only reason you choose a family member to surrogate a baby.