Because the intended parents you choose as a gestational carrier will impact your surrogacy journey’s overall experience, you want to be sure you find the best match for your journey.
This guide explores international intended parents and the importance of researching your options as a gestational surrogate. Here, you will learn some things to consider before choosing to become a carrier for an international parent. Understanding the types of intended parents you may want to carry for can help you make such an important decision.
If you have any questions about the surrogacy process or finding intended parents, you can always fill out this online form to get in touch with a surrogacy specialist. They will be more than happy to provide the information you need as you move forward.
In the meantime, continue reading this guide on becoming a surrogate for an international couple and what you should know before making any decisions.
Becoming a Surrogate for an International Couple: 4 Things to Consider
The intended parents you carry for will heavily impact your overall experience. So, it’s important to carry for someone you sense a connection with. You are giving them the gift of parenthood, and in many cases, what is their only chance to have a biologically related child.
Because many countries have shut down surrogacy due to unsafe or unethical processes, the United States is one of the most popular countries for international parents to work with, given the safe and legal practices used in the surrogacy process. Although you desire to help intended parents achieve their goals of parenting, where they are located internationally can have different impacts on your overall experience and journey.
When finding intended parents, there are many different aspects you should consider prior to making any decisions. Some of those considerations include:
1. Language barriers
Many international intended parents will speak some English, but oftentimes, the parents will not. Although conversations through the use of a translator can take place, there can still be a lack of complete understanding and personal connection, given the language barrier.
Talk to your surrogacy specialist about the services of a translator to ensure the agency you choose has the necessary tools to help you become a carrier for international intended parents.
2. Distance
You are well aware that if an intended family is not from the United States, there will be distance involved, but you may not be aware of some of the problems it can cause. When you choose intended parents from a different country, some things to consider when dealing with distance includes living in different time zones.
This can make communicating difficult and impact their involvement in doctor visits and other important steps throughout your pregnancy. Keep in mind you will likely have to add an international plan to your phone or work out a way to schedule video calls.
The distance can also play a role in how quickly intended parents are able to arrive in the United States if early delivery or an unexpected issue. Because of this, your specialist will prepare you for the chance of having to handle any unforeseen instances on your own.
Additionally, international intended parents may make arrangements to travel to the United States weeks or months before your due date. Depending upon the type of relationship you are comfortable with, this can either give you a chance to get to know them better or potentially create an uncomfortable situation.
3. Cultural Differences
Depending on where the intended parents live, there may be different cultural expectations for you. This may include the types of food you eat, the lifestyle you live, and even just a common misunderstanding or disconnect between the two of you. Understanding the culture from where the intended parents live is a good way to avoid any confusion or added stress.
4. Contact Issues
As mentioned above, time zones and language barriers can create issues with contact during your pregnancy. If your surrogacy goals include having a continued relationship after your pregnancy, becoming a surrogate for someone who lives in a different country can make that difficult to achieve. Not all surrogates and intended parents in the U.S. or internationally continue their relationship after the surrogacy is complete, but it is far less likely for an international intended parent.
By no means are any of these things to consider meant to sway your opinion of wanting to find an international intended parent, they are mentioned to give you a perspective you may not have thought about previously. With such an important decision as being a gestational carrier for intended parents, you want to make sure you have educated yourself on potential problems you may face along the way.
International surrogacy is not suitable for everyone, but it may be right for you. Reach out to a surrogacy agency to discuss your options and to determine if you are a better fit to be a carrier for an intended family from the United States, or, if finding intended parents from a different country is the best path for your surrogacy journey.
Finding International Intended Parents
Now that you know a few things to consider when wanting to be a gestational carrier for an international intended parent, your next step is to find a match.
Although independent surrogacy exists, we do not recommend attempting to find parents on your own – especially when pursuing international surrogacy. Finding intended parents through an agency helps keep you safe, as the screening process and requirements help filter out any potential red flags or unethical intended parents.
An agency will find families that meet your preferences and provide you with intended family profiles to review and determine if there is a connection between the two of you. You will gain peace of mind knowing that every profile you are viewing is of an intended parent who has been approved for the surrogacy process.
Once you have found potential matches, your surrogacy specialist will help facilitate a meeting between the two of you, either through a conference call or video chat. The purpose of this meeting is to get to know them better and to ask any questions you may have or voice any concerns. Ideally, this meeting will help you determine if they are the right match for you.
Not all agencies complete international surrogacy. If this is the path you decide to take, you will need to find an agency that explicitly handles international couples. You may consider any of the following agencies:
Determining whether domestic or international surrogacy is right for you is an important decision to make. Fill out this online form to get more information about the pros and cons of international surrogacy and to speak with a specialist about your goals of becoming a surrogate.
