Surrogacy in UK: Stay informed and updated at every point for best results!

Surrogacy is a cost effective procedure and there are no second thoughts about it. That said, while you plan your surrogacy journey in a country like UK, you must take into consideration all the key aspects in this direction.

Since 1985, surrogacy has been legal in the UK. However, with surrogacy rates increasing, experts are worried that the law is out-of-date and may expose intended parents and surrogates to risk.

Moreover, regardless of the baby's genetic makeup or any existing agreements, the surrogate mother will automatically have "parental responsibility" for the child under UK law, and not the intended parents. Besides, a parental order must be requested by the intended parents, and the approval process can take months.

On the other hand, when a person is unable to conceive—often due to health reasons or because they are men in same-sex relationships—surrogacy is frequently brought into picture to let them form a family. However, it is unlawful to advertise surrogacy in UK, making it difficult for those looking to become parents to find a match unless they are contacted by a surrogate.

This is where to help those looking to become parents find their surrogate match, non-profit organizations and groups have been established in accordance with the law. Many people, though, want the law changed.

On the other hand, if you are intended parent pursuing surrogacy via a surrogacy agency in UK, you must fully comprehend all relevant information, including the existing surrogacy laws in UK.

Key details regarding surrogacy process in UK

What type of surrogacy you want?

Usually, you will have two types of surrogacy options available to you in UK: Gestational surrogacy and traditional surrogacy. In case of gestational surrogacy in UK, the embryo will be produced using either donor sperm or donor eggs or one of the intended parents' genetics, or both of the intended parents' genetics. Moreover, it will then be created and transferred via IVF to the surrogate.

On the other hand, traditional surrogacy involves using the eggs from the surrogate mother to conceive the child, which means that the surrogate will share 50% of the baby's genetic makeup. Moreover, she will be denoted as an 'Egg donor' during the same process.

The surrogate will carry out this using artificial insemination, either through a home insemination kit or through IUI or IVF at a medical facility. That said, if you are thinking about becoming a surrogate, the best surrogacy agency in UK can help you make that decision by offering more details about the procedure, as well as support and access to a group of surrogates and intended parents.

What are the additional responsibilities on becoming a parent via surrogacy?

When a person becomes a parent, they have certain legal rights and obligations toward their child until they turn 18; these obligations include housing, safeguarding, educating, and other duties. In surrogacy laws in UK, this is referred to as "parental responsibility."

·         Moreover, parental responsibility is not automatically granted to intended parents who use surrogacy to start a family. Instead, those privileges pass to the surrogate mother upon the birth of the child.

·         On the other hand, the surrogate mother in UK will be considered the second parent at birth if she is married or in a civil partnership. This holds true even in cases of gestational surrogacy, in which the surrogate mother is not the child's genetic mother.

·         If one of the intended parents is the sperm donor and the surrogate is unmarried or in a civil partnership, the intended parent is regarded as the legal father and is eligible to claim parental responsibility and be listed on the birth certificate.

·         Anyone who intends to parent their child through surrogacy( be it surrogacy for singles in UK) must apply for a parental order in order to be granted parental responsibility; however, this process can take months to complete.

What are your options in regards to surrogate mother in UK?

It can be difficult to find a surrogate mother in the UK because local laws differ from those around the world. On the other hand, advertising to find a surrogate is illegal and they must come to you instead.

That said, you can find someone who wants to be your surrogate mother in a number of ways, some of which include:

·         Web portals or forums

·         Friends/family

How long is the surrogacy process in UK?

It is crucial to understand that surrogacy takes into account more than just the duration of a pregnancy and it also takes into account the time required to set up the process, including:

·         Developing an embryo

·         locating a suitable surrogate

·         Relationship building with the surrogate

·         drafting a contract

·         surrogate becoming pregnant via IVF treatment in UK

·         birthing procedures

The process of becoming a surrogate mother in UK usually takes between 18 and 24 months, though it could take much more time depending on the specifics of your situation.

How much is the surrogacy cost in UK?

In the UK, it is against the law to pay a surrogate for anything besides reasonable costs. However, there are additional expenses associated with surrogacy that can make it a costly process for intended parents. These expenses in the surrogacy cost in UK include:

·         The cost of fertility treatment

·         Organizational or agency fees

·         legal costs

Surrogacy typically costs between £30,000 and £70,000 in total. That said, the cost of IVF treatment in UK and other related expenses must also be counted in the same list.

What are surrogate mother rights during the surrogacy process ?

There are several rights provided to the surrogate mother in UK by the UK laws. That said,  a surrogate can decide they want to keep the child and refuse to give it to you. This is because, until a parental order transferring legal parenthood to the intended parents has been made, the surrogate mother is legally the mother.

Besides, in order to obtain this parental order, the surrogate mother must consent, and because she cannot be forced to do so, the intended parents may be left with few choices if she refuses to surrender the child.

Final words

Surrogacy in UK may sound a complicated affair initially. Yet, with the help and support of a trusted surrogacy agency in UK, you can always go by your parenthood goals without any issues.