A woman who agrees to carry and give birth to a baby for another person is a surrogate or birth mother.
How long does the surrogacy process take?
On average, the surrogate mother process takes between 15 to 18 months, however, any individual journey could take more or less time. Working with a reputable surrogacy agency with experienced subject matter experts that are fully dedicated to your journey is the key to expediting the experience and achieving your dream of helping another family.
What is the Process to Become a Surrogate?
A surrogate is a woman who carries a baby for another person or a couple. The person who is trying to have a baby with the help of the surrogate is known as an intended parent. At Conceive Abilities, we work with intended parents who undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) so that the surrogate can carry a baby to whom she is not genetically or legally related.
What happens if surrogate mother miscarries?
A miscarriage will not affect your ability to become pregnant again. Your surrogacy contract will state how many transfers you will complete for the intended parents, so it’s likely that you will have another embryo transferred whenever you are physically and emotionally ready.
How to Become A Surrogate Mother In South Africa
Screening Requirements for Surrogates
Surrogate requirements vary by agency, but according to standards set by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, the general qualifications for becoming a surrogate may include:
Be within a certain age range. According to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, surrogates should be between the ages of 21 and 45, but some agencies require their surrogates to be older or younger
Have a healthy BMI of 30 or less (calculate your BMI)
No smoking or illicit drug use
No government assistance
Have at least one previous successful pregnancy and no more than five vaginal births or three cesarean deliveries
Be currently raising your child(ren) in your home
Have no major complications from previous pregnancies
If you meet your surrogacy professional’s general qualifications for surrogate mothers, you can proceed with the screening process. The surrogate screening process will vary depending on the agency you work with, but it will often include the following elements:
An application: The initial application will likely ask you some general questions about you and your reasons for pursuing surrogacy. After submitting the initial application, you will be contacted by a surrogacy specialist, who will gather more detailed information from you.
Social and medical history information: This may be included with your initial application. In many cases, the social and medical history forms provided by a surrogacy agency will ask you to submit detailed information about you, your family, your health history and even your personality.
A physical examination: You will be required to meet with a fertility specialist for a physical exam and other lab work to ensure you are healthy enough for surrogacy.
An in-home assessment: A social worker may meet with you in your home to talk more about your goals and motivations for pursuing surrogacy. This meeting helps the social worker get to know you better and provides you with an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the process.
Background checks: You will need to consent to standard criminal records and background checks.
Medical Requirements for Surrogates
Because your health is so central to a successful surrogacy, it will be closely monitored throughout the entire surrogacy process, from the time you are screened until the delivery of the baby. As a surrogate, you will be required to undergo several medical tests and procedures and take fertility medications throughout the process.
The medical requirements for surrogates can be thought of in several stages:
Medical screening: This is part of the screening process. It will likely involve a physical as well as a variety of laboratory testing. You will be screened for sexually transmitted diseases and other communicable diseases, as well as certain viruses and infections that can affect your fertility.
You may need to undergo an ultrasound to determine the health of your uterus, and there is a possibility that you will be screened for drug use. Your spouse or partner will likely also need to be screened for STDs and drug use.
Fertility treatments: After signing legal contracts with the intended parents, you will need to prepare for surrogate pregnancy with multiple fertility treatments, blood tests, injections and ultrasounds throughout the embryo transfer process (as well as through the beginning of your pregnancy).
You will be prescribed several medications, such as birth control pills and other hormones, which will help regulate your cycle and prepare you for in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Do you get paid to be a surrogate in South Africa?
A surrogate in South Africa does not get paid an income. As mentioned before, surrogacy is done for altruistic reasons only. It must be noted that any promise or agreement for the payment of any compensation to surrogate mother or any person is illegal and unenforceable.
Is Surrogate Mother legal in South Africa?
Non-profit surrogacy is legal in South Africa however there are certain legal criteria, obligations and requirements which need to be met. Firstly, a Surrogate Motherhood Agreement needs to be drafted and confirmed by High Court.
How much does a surrogate mother usually get paid In South Africa?
The average amount of compensation, including expenses, can range from R 755654.91 to R 1209047.85 depending on experience and the individual arrangements. In states like Pretoria , where surrogates are in high demand, surrogates may be paid slightly higher.
How much does it cost to harvest your eggs for surrogate pregnancy in South Africa?
“In general, Cape Town is cheaper than Gauteng, and Pretoria is cheaper than Sandton. Total cost of an egg donor IVF is between R65 000 and R110 000. Total cost of using frozen donor eggs is between R67 000 and R90 000.”
Can a surrogate mother decide to keep the baby In South Africa?
While your surrogate has many rights outlined in your contract, a gestational carrier cannot choose to keep the child because she won’t have parental rights to the baby and won’t be biologically related.
What happens if surrogate mother miscarries In South Africa?
A miscarriage will not affect your ability to become pregnant again. Your surrogacy contract will state how many transfers you will complete for the intended parents, so it’s likely that you will have another embryo transferred whenever you are physically and emotionally ready.
What are the qualifications for a surrogate mother In South Africa?
Surrogate Mother Requirements
Be 22 – 40 years old.
Be a U.S. citizen.
Be a non-smoker in excellent health.
Be within a healthy height and weight ratio.
Have a healthy reproductive history; having given birth to at least one child that you are raising.
Can surrogates change their mind In South Africa?
Traditional surrogacy is banned in many states. A traditional surrogate is the biological mother of her child, meaning she has parental rights and the power to change her mind and keep the baby.
Does a baby get any DNA from a surrogate mother In South Africa?
This is a fairly common question and the answer is no. In a compensated surrogacy arrangement with a gestational carrier, the baby’s DNA comes from the intended mother’s egg, or from an egg donor, and from the intended father’s sperm, or from a sperm donor.
Is it hard to become a surrogate In South Africa?
Being a surrogate is hard work.
You will need to keep track of things such as medical appointments, medical bills, calls with the intended parents and more. This is all on top of your normal responsibilities at your job and at your home.