How To Find a Surrogate in Australia
Surrogacy is an exciting and often nerve-wracking step to consider. However, there are misconceptions about the process that may put some IPs (intended parents) off taking this route.
These misconceptions include the idea that the surrogacy process is complex, prohibitively expensive or risky. It can make things hard when trying to find a surrogate in Australia
A particular concern includes the role of the surrogate mother. After all, with commercial surrogacy being illegal across Australia, how does one go about finding a healthy woman of the right age with a stable lifestyle who is willing to volunteer herself with only basic expenses remunerated?
Here, we reveal that finding a surrogate mother in Australia is a lot more straightforward than it may at first appear.
The Criteria When Finding a Surrogate in Australia
The medical professionals at specialist surrogacy clinics are regularly called upon to select suitable surrogates on behalf of IPs.
Generally, Australian surrogates are required to be between 25 and 40 years old. They must be “settled” and deemed to be content that their family is complete. To that end, it’s important that all candidates have given birth to a live child previously.
It is possible for IPs to choose a surrogate from their own family or circle of friends – but the chosen individual should go through all of the required screening. This includes rigorous medical and psychological examinations.
In Australia, donor eggs are required to be used in surrogacy programs. A surrogate cannot use her own.
Once an embryo has been implanted, surrogate mothers will undergo psychological and medical examinations – including blood tests, ultrasound scans and physical check-ups – every few weeks to make sure the pregnancy is progressing well.
Finding a Surrogate Mother in Australia: Legal Matters
The original Australian birth certificate of a child conceived via surrogacy will list the surrogate mother and any partner as parents. A Parentage Order must then be requested from the court, which will allow a new birth certificate to be processed, listing the IPs as parents.
After the birth, the surrogate mother is not permitted to have contact with the child – with the exception of meetings approved and attended by IPs.
Other Options When Finding a Surrogate Mother in Australia
If any element of the Australian surrogacy selection process seems unsuitable for your requirements as an IP, it is possible to pursue an international surrogacy process instead.
Global Surrogacy manages programs of this kind in many different countries – including surrogacy in Colombia, surrogacy in Georgia, surrogacy in Greece, surrogacy in Mexico and surrogacy in Ukraine.
It is vitally important that you understand laws relating to surrogacy within your chosen country and whether there is any mismatch between that location’s legislation and that of your own domicile.
The team at Global Surrogacy will support you throughout the process, helping you to select a location that offers a suitable program, making sure everything is legally sound and supporting you from consultation stages right through to the birth of the child and beyond.
We regularly monitor the selection processes and programs offered by all of our partners to make sure they are straightforward, ethical and well-delivered at every stage.
For more information, contact the friendly specialists at Global Surrogacy today.
