Pros and Cons of Surrogacy (2022)

If you want to become a surrogate and are looking for more information, please see our article on the pros and cons of being a surrogate mother here.

Now let’s get a closer look at the pros and cons to surrogacy when it comes to adding a baby to your family.

Pros of Surrogacy

There are plenty of pros of hiring a surrogate to have a baby and add to your family:

You Will Most Likely Have a Baby Via a Surrogate!

Yes, the most obvious pro to surrogacy is that you will most likely have a baby. Surrogate mothers are healthy women who are in their prime childbearing years, with proven pregnancies that they have already carried to term. This means that surrogacy success rates primarily depend on the quality of the eggs and sperm that are used to create the embryos the surrogate then carries to term. Learn more about surrogacy success rates here.

Surrogacy Eliminates Intended Mother’s Risk of Carrying a Pregnancy

Surrogacy completely eliminates the intended mother’s risk of carrying a pregnancy to term. This is especially important if the intended mother is at a more advanced maternal age or she has underlying medical problems that could negatively affect her pregnancy, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, kidney or liver disease, and autoimmune conditions, among others. These conditions can put the baby at risk as well, so using a surrogate would eliminate the risks posed by these medical problems.

Surrogacy Allows the Intended Mother to Continue with Normal Work and Life Routine

Most women choose surrogacy due to either having a medical condition that would put them at risk if they were to carry a pregnancy or because they are in an advanced maternal age. But for whatever reason a woman chooses surrogacy, this still means she can go about her life without having to accommodate being pregnant, such as the normal emotional stressors that occur with pregnancy as well as the often uncomfortable physical changes or unpredictable effects on future health. There are no rights or wrongs involved in any of the various reasons a woman might consider using a surrogate to have a baby.

Surrogate Baby Can Be Your Biological Child

If the intended mother still has viable eggs and the male partner’s sperm is also viable, then an embryo created from these and carried to term by a surrogate will give you a child that is biologically completely yours, just as if you had carried the pregnancy yourself. If the intended mother is in a more advanced maternal age and her eggs are no longer viable, donor eggs can be used to create the embryo.

Surrogates are not genetically related to the baby as their eggs are never used in the surrogacy process. The surrogate does not share any DNA with the baby. The only biological influence the surrogate has on the baby is that her uterus provides the environment for growth and development. This environmental influence is known as epigenetics and you can find more information about surrogacy epigenetics here.

Surrogacy Is Supported In Most of the States

The good news is that surrogacy is supported in most of the states. Many states now have very favorable laws protecting the intended parents, with the exception of the states of Michigan, Louisiana and Nebraska, where surrogacy is completely banned. If you live in one of these states where surrogacy is banned, you may wish to consult an attorney who is experienced in surrogacy law, so you can understand what options may be open to you when it comes to having a baby via a surrogate. You can learn more about surrogacy laws and processes in different states here.

Surrogacy Is a Route For Male Gay Couples or Single Men to Become Fathers

For male gay couples or single men, surrogacy is the only option that will enable them to have a biological child, as their sperm can be used to fertilize donor eggs. Of course, the baby is then genetically related to the male who provided the sperm for the creation of the embryo. These fertilized donor eggs are used to create an embryo that the surrogate will then carry to term. For more information on family building for gay men, please see this page on surrogacy and egg donation.

Advantages of Hiring a Surrogate Mother

The advantages of hiring a surrogate mother to have a baby are many. These advantages include the very high probability that you will indeed have a baby, the complete elimination of any risk to the intended mother posed by a pregnancy, plus a surrogate pregnancy allows the intended mother to carry on her life without disruption, regardless of the reason she is choosing surrogacy.

Another advantage of hiring a surrogate mother is that the baby can be your biological child if you, as the mother, have viable eggs. In addition, most states support surrogacy with a few exceptions. For gay male couples or single gay men, surrogacy provides a pathway for these individuals to become parents.

Cons of Surrogacy

As with any decision that has the potential to be life changing, there are cons of surrogacy as well as pros. It is important that when making your decision about whether to hire a surrogate, that you take all of these potential drawbacks into consideration. Let’s get a look at some of the cons of surrogacy here:

You Will Not Get the First-hand Experience of Pregnancy or Childbirth

Although most women delight in experiencing pregnancy and childbirth, in spite of the discomfort, using a younger surrogate with a proven successful prior pregnancy may actually be a lower risk to both the pregnancy and the baby. While it may be disappointing to face that you may never have the personal experience of pregnancy or childbirth, for some women this is the absolutely right decision to make, for themselves and for the child to come.

Surrogacy Is Expensive

Yes, surrogacy is expensive, plus there are not very many financing options. We understand that this can be a big financial burden for many people and so we are quite transparent as to all the costs involved. Please see this page for more information on how much surrogacy costs so you can plan accordingly.

National Shortage of Surrogate Mothers

Most people are unaware there is a national shortage of surrogates in the United States. This shortage is due to both the extremely strict criteria that women must meet to qualify as a surrogate as well as the increasing numbers of intended parents, both from the U.S. and abroad, who are looking to hire a surrogate.

Here at Pinnacle Surrogacy, we put every effort to recruit surrogates on an ongoing basis, and although it’s not the case with our agency, some surrogacy agencies have a waiting list that means over a year of waiting time for intended parents.

If you decide surrogacy is the right path to parenthood for you, we recommend connecting with us right away to discuss your individual circumstances and plan your journey.

Disadvantages of Having a Baby via a Surrogate

Although there is not a long list of disadvantages of having a baby via a surrogate, disadvantages do exist. When a woman chooses to use a surrogate, she of course will not have the experience of pregnancy and childbirth. In the long run, especially for those women with medical conditions, this may be the safest choice.

Other disadvantages are around financial concerns, as surrogacy is expensive and there is a real lack of financing options. Plus, there is a national shortage of surrogates, and some agencies other than ours have waiting lists that are over a year long.

Should I Hire a Surrogate To Have a Baby?

When you ask yourself the question: should I hire a surrogate, you have to take into consideration all the pros and cons of doing so. Only you, or you and your partner together, can make this decision for yourself and your family.

For more information we invite you to explore our website where we have a library of comprehensive resources to help you such as: Finding a surrogate, our surrogacy FAQ and surrogacy cost.

Great things start with a great conversation, so contact us either online or call us directly at 877 261 0392. Please reach out if you have any questions at all, as we have the answers and experience to guide and support you in your decision. We would be delighted to speak with you!