Surrogacy provides additional biological options for intended parents, including gender selection.
The Illinois Center for Surrogacy acknowledges and respects that there are many different approaches to modern family building. Adoption is a noble path to parenthood, providing many families with extraordinary joy. For other families, gestational surrogacy is a preferred path, offering a variety of benefits including a biological connection with your child and the ability to take part in the pregnancy and birthing experience.
We’ve outlined some of the pros and cons of surrogacy versus adoption below. If you have questions, please contact us for a free surrogacy consultation. We’re happy to provide the information you need to make an informed decision.
A Biological Connection
For many years, adoption was the predominant option for couples faced with infertility, single parents and LGBT families. Today, gestational surrogacy provides intended parents with the opportunity to share a biological connection with their baby.
Besides the obvious reasons for wanting to share a biological connection, intended parents who choose surrogacy are aware of the genetic background and heritage of the child, something that isn’t always available in its entirety through adoption. Intended parents are also able to explore gender selection prior to implantation in order to determine the sex of their baby.
There are many reasons why intended parents may choose to use gender, or sex selection. For some, gender selection is an opportunity to avoid certain genetic and chromosomal conditions that are passed down from either a male or female partner, including hemophilia, Fragile X syndrome and muscular dystrophy. Family balancing concerns and emotional reasons are also factors in the decision to use gender selection.
Why should I choose surrogacy instead of adoption?
- Genetic link: Surrogacy allows parents to share a genetic link with your child. This can be an important emotional connection for some intended parents. With adoption, sometimes important genetic and/or heritage information about your child is inaccessible.
- Witness childbirth: One of the most amazing and gratifying aspects of gestational surrogacy is the ability to witness the birth of your child and raise your child as a newborn.
- Attend OB appointments: Gestational surrogacy allows intended parents to be matched with a surrogate mother with whom they share a connection. This provides the opportunity to participate during pregnancy by attending doctor’s appointments and ultrasounds.
- Raise child from infancy: The high demand for infants and babies in the adoption process means that you’re unlikely to raise your child from infancy if you choose to adopt.
- Shorter timeframe: The overall high demand for adoptive children equates to long wait times, sometimes exceeding five or more years depending on the age of the child, public vs. private adoption, and et cetera. The choice between public and private adoption can substantially change the timeframe, cost, and age of the child you are adopting.
- Avoid adoption fees: Adoption, though generally cheaper than surrogacy, can often escalate in terms of cost to more than $50,0000. Private adoption fees can vary widely and generally cost more than public adoption fees.
- No preparation courses: With adoption, you may be required to attend and/or pay for adoption preparation courses.
- Avoid disreputable agencies: International adoption is fraught with issues in finding a trustworthy, reputable agency to work with.
- By-pass legal restrictions: Legal restrictions in some states can prohibit same-sex couples, unmarried couples, or single-intended parents from adopting, but not from using a gestational surrogate.
- No waiting period: The adoption process can fall through during certain points; i.e. 90-day waiting periods in which the biological parent can change his/her mind and decide to stop the process.
Why should I choose adoption over surrogacy?
- Adoption is considered a more altruistic approach to family building, because you are adopting a child already (or soon to be) in need of a loving family.
- The length of the adoption process can be shorter if you are willing to adopt an older child, though this is generally not true for younger children.
- Adoption is typically less expensive, with public or foster care adoption fees ranging from $10,000 to $35,000 and gestational surrogacy fees starting at $100,000.
- You can apply for federal grants and loans or use employee/military reimbursements to help cover adoption costs.