Starting their own family is a dream of many couples, including same-sex ones. So what are your options for having a child as an LGBTQAI+ couple? Surrogacy for gay parents is a common solution that is regulated by law in many countries. Therefore, same-sex couples can turn their dream of having a child into reality by considering surrogacy for bearing and giving birth to their child. The country where you can do the treatment is Albania.

LGBTQAI+ surrogacy process

So what is gay surrogacy? The same-sex surrogacy process looks similar to surrogacy for straight couples. The surrogacy journey for same-sex couples starts with visiting a fertility clinic of choice. A fertility specialist will then introduce surrogacy programs to you and discuss what gay surrogacy options are the most suitable for your couple.

Of course, the options will vary for lesbian couples and gay fathers. But overall, there are several most common approaches taken in the gay surrogacy process. These include finding an egg donor to create embryos after you get a donor egg for IVF and gestational surrogacy. You can also look for a sperm donor if you opt for lesbian surrogacy.

Now that you know how does surrogacy work for gay parents, let's discuss some aspects you should consider when looking for a surrogate mother for a gay couple.

Known vs. anonymous donor

  • When gay couples are looking for a surrogate mother to start their gay parents' surrogacy process, it's important to decide whether they want to consider anonymous surrogate mothers for LGBTQAI+ couples or prefer someone they know. In case you're looking for an anonymous egg donor, your LGBTQAI+ surrogacy agency of choice will most likely offer you a catalog of potential candidates containing information about their medical history and other details.

  • There are also some other surrogacy options for LGBTQAI+ parents. You can discuss with your fertility doctor the option of your or your partner's relative becoming your surrogate. In this case, the embryo will contain the sperm of one partner and the genetic material of the other partner, whose relative the gestational carrier is. This option of surrogacy for gay men allows for biological connection and genetic parenthood for both partners.

Choosing who will be related to the child

In traditional surrogacy, the genetic material of both parents is used for embryo creation, which means that each parent is related to the child genetically. But with gay couple surrogacy, only one parent's material, like an egg or sperm, can be used to create an embryo. If you don't want to make a choice, both partners' sperm or eggs can be used for egg fertilization. In case you change your mind, you can do DNA paternity testing later on to find out who is the biological father or mother of the child.

Surrogacy laws

  • The legal considerations related to surrogacy agency services, embryo transfer from egg donors and other ART procedures differ from state to state in the US and from country to country globally. Overall, Worldwide Surrogacy Specialists can provide assistance and counseling on the Family Code regulations and legal processes involved in surrogacy for gay couples and members of the LGBTQAI+ community.

    For same-sex couples thinking about surrogacy, it is best to consult with a local specialist to make sure you are familiar with all regulations, permissions and prohibitions. The reason why it is so important to know the legal side of working with a surrogacy agency is that there are lots of nuances to consider. For example, in some locations, same-sex surrogacy laws do not allow surrogacy for same-sex parenting, while it is allowed for gay men and women in other places.

  • Legal counseling is essential as you go through surrogacy and adoption at every stage of the process. Each side (the couple and the gestational carriers) needs to have an attorney to confirm surrogacy contracts and agreements, insurance papers, birth certificate details and other paperwork in the course of the process.

    Besides, the medical procedures need to comply with the reproductive rights established in the country where you have chosen to go through your surrogacy journey, as well as the gestational carriers’ parental rights have to be terminated after she gives birth so that the intended mother or father gains the right of exclusive parenthood over the baby and becomes his or her legal parent along with the partner. All these aspects need to be taken care of by a lawyer to make sure you don't face any issues with family identities later on.

Surrogate mothers for gay couples

  • Male same-sex intended parents have several options when it comes to choosing their gestational carrier or egg donor. If they work with an agency, they can choose anonymous candidates for gestational carriers. In this case, the couple has limited information about the woman who is the egg donor but can be sure that she meets the criteria and can be a successful gestational carrier in terms of health and other aspects.

    Another option a male gay couple has is to ask their relative or close person to become a gestational carrier of their child. Of course, when someone close will be carrying your baby, you will have more trust in the process and feel more confident on your journey to starting a family

  • n case you choose your or the intended parent’s relative as a carrier of your child, both you and your partner have a chance of establishing biogenetic paternity over the child. Using reproductive technology, the genes of the related surrogate and your or the intended parent’s sperm will lead to one or both parents being biologically related to the child.

    But keep in mind that regardless of the option you choose in terms of who you get egg donation from or who is the gestational carrier of your child, it is still crucial to get an attorney for all parties. Unless you use an anonymous egg donor, it is best for the gestational surrogate to have her attorney involved as well. This way, you will handle the process easier in terms of all the expenses for commercial surrogacy and potential legal considerations that may come up.

Why same−sex couples choose IFG for surrogacy?

We belong to the experienced surrogacy agencies providing IVF and surrogacy assistance around the world to all patients, including the representatives of the LGBTQAI+ community. When you reach out to us for IVF or surrogacy, we will guide you through the entire process to make sure you have all the information you need to start your surrogacy journey, regardless of your sexual orientation.

We offer an extensive catalog of egg donors and surrogate mothers to many intended parents. Each gestational carrier candidate goes through all medical examinations and testing to make sure they are suitable for IVF or surrogacy services. Whether you choose an anonymous or known donor, we will make sure that communication between all parties is effective at all times throughout your surrogacy journey.

We will also guide you in the legal considerations involved in the process and help you with the associated paperwork. You will still have to get an attorney on your side, but our team will handle as much paperwork as we can to simplify the process for you.

We are happy and proud to support the LGBTQAI+ community in something as important as starting a family. Our entire team will accompany you at every step of the process and help you address the smallest question or concern you might have regarding your future parenthood.

  • How much does gay surrogacy cost?

    Becoming a dad through surrogacy is quite an extensive process, hence it requires some serious financial considerations. While the success rate of IVF for surrogacy is high, the associated costs can be such as well.

    In detail, many intended parents have to cover the agency fee, the insurance policy, legal fees, the medical procedures at an IVF clinic, the cost of commercial surrogacy, pregnancy expenses and other expenses like travel. So the overall cost of surrogacy for same-sex male couples may start at around $10,000 and reach $100,000.

    Of course, the location of your clinic and the country where you're going through your LGBTQAI+ parents’ surrogacy journey matter and definitely affect the price.

    Check out detailed pricing information here.

Choose the country where surrogacy will take place

Related information about surrogacy for LGBTQAI+ couples

To continue your research on how you can become parents as a same-sex couple, visit our blog for more publications on becoming same-sex parents.

If you are facing challenges in conceiving or have medical circumstances that prevent pregnancy, a surrogacy program may be the viable option to fulfill your dream of starting a family. 
There's no need to delay further in embarking on the parenthood journey − We're here to help.
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