Wondering why an intended parent may turn to surrogacy instead of getting pregnant themselves? Read on to learn 12 reasons why.
Reason #1: The intended parents are a gay couple or a single man
Surrogacy provides a path for a man without a female partner to become a biological parent.
Reason #2: The intended mother was born without a uterus
Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome occurs in 1 in 4500 females. Girls and women who have MRKH are born without a uterus (or have a severely underdeveloped uterus). Women with MRKH usually have functioning ovaries and can become genetic parents through gestational surrogacy.
Reason #3: The intended mother lost her uterus in a prior pregnancy
Many intended parents already have a child, but suffer from secondary infertility after the intended mother’s uterus had to be removed due complications such as hemorrhaging after delivery. In some cases, the pregnancy complication may also have resulted in a premature delivery, and the baby may or may not have survived.
Reasons #4: The intended mother lost her uterus to cancer
Another common reason to pursue surrogacy is that the intended mother had to have her uterus removed due to cancer in that organ.
Reason #5: The intended mother has an incompetent cervix
The intended mother may have a history of premature delivery due to an incompetent cervix that is too weak to stay closed for a full term pregnancy. Again, the baby may or may not have survived. Sometimes incompetent cervix can be successfully treated with a cerclage (cervical stitch) may this treatment does not work for everyone.
Reason #6: The intended mother had prior serious pregnancy complications that are likely to happen again
Whether it’s uncontrolled gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, preterm labor, placental abruption, or another serious complication, it may be too risky for the intended mother to get pregnant again,
Reason #7: The intended mother is on medication that is unsafe during pregnancy
Many intended mothers take medication that is important for their own health but unsafe for a fetus. Examples include medications that keep cancer in remission and psychiatric medications. It may not be safe or healthy for the intended mother to stop taking her medication. Surrogacy can be the safer choice for both the intended mother and the baby.
Reason #8: The intended mother has a chronic medical condition that makes pregnancy unsafe
Perhaps the intended mother is a diabetic. Or maybe she has a heart condition. There are many medical conditions that can be aggravated by pregnancy and lead to adverse outcomes for the mother or baby. Again, surrogacy can be the safer choice.
Reason #9: The intended mother’s uterine lining does not develop properly
In some cases, a woman attempts to proceed with IVF on her own, but cannot undergo an embryo transfer because her uterine lining does not develop properly. Fertility doctors are looking for a tri-laminar (triple stripe) uterine lining of a specific depth. This uterine environment is important to allow the embryo to implant. If the woman’s uterine lining cannot develop properly–even with medication tweaks–it may be time to turn to gestational surrogacy.
Reason #10: The intended mother has damage to her uterus.
An intended mother may have scarring in her uterus that prevents an embryo from implanting. If the damage cannot be repaired, gestational surrogacy may be her only option.
Reason #11: Past history of premature delivery
Premature delivery can occur for a variety of reasons, such as premature labor that cannot be stopped. Even though the intended mother can become pregnant again, the intended parents may be terrified of having another baby in the NICU, especially if the baby was a micro-preemie.
Reason # 12: The intended parents have several failed embryo transfer attempts with good quality embryos
Sometimes infertility is unexplained. If the intended parents have tried embryo transfer using high quality embryos, but still cannot get pregnant, it may be the result of a hostile uterine environment. Gestational surrogacy allows these couples to become biological parents.
Ready to learn more about surrogacy? Contact me today to set up a free consult.
