Lesbian Intended Parents

The decision to bring a new life into this world and grow your family is a momentous one that should be celebrated. Surrogacy offers an invaluable opportunity to help LGBTQ intended parents start the family of their dreams. Unfortunately, members of the LGBTQ community often face obstacles in their journey. Same-sex couples deserve the chance to become parents and surrogacy helps to make that possible. Here is everything that you need to know about the surrogacy process for lesbian intended parents.

Why the LGBTQ Community Chooses Surrogacy as an Option

Lesbian surrogacy tends not to be widely talked about because the assumption is that a lesbian couple is always capable of carrying a child with the help of a sperm donor. However, this is not always the case. Some women do not want to experience pregnancy for personal or medical reasons. These women may choose surrogacy as the best option to help them on their journey to motherhood.
Additionally, reproductive problems can affect any woman regardless of her sexual orientation. There are a number of medical issues that can cause infertility or an inability to safely carry a child to term. Surrogacy allows women with reproductive problems to achieve their dreams of having a biological child despite their health. Regardless of their reasonings, we strive to support all intended families in the process of growing their families.

Lesbian Surrogacy Process

The surrogacy process for same-sex intended parents does not differ significantly from that of straight couples. One of the first steps of pursuing surrogacy is performing the necessary research. You and your partner should thoroughly research every aspect of the process to make sure that you understand what to expect. This is an excellent way to ensure that you are doing your part to ensure that the process goes as smoothly as possible.
Prior to settling on surrogacy as the method to grow your family, it is important to consider the costs of doing so. Surrogacy can be expensive, especially when compared to other options such as adoption. However, there are grants that help aid intended families in covering the costs of surrogacy and egg donation. Applications to surrogacy grants can be found online and are often available to same-sex couples who are pursuing surrogacy.
As a same-sex couple, it is likely that you will have to find an egg or sperm donor to produce a viable embryo that will be implanted into your surrogate. Agencies, such as Simple Surrogacy, offer donor services in addition to surrogacy. We will help you get matched with an anonymous donor.
Intended parents will have the opportunity to be matched with surrogates who are open to working with members of the LGBTQ community. You will have the chance to ask any questions and voice concerns about the process well before you put pen to paper signing any contracts. Once you and your surrogate have both agreed on the terms of your surrogacy contract your surrogate will begin to undergo medical procedures to prepare for embryo implantation.
After IVF treatments have been completed and your embryo is successfully implanted into your gestational surrogate, it’s a waiting game. Your bundle of joy is on its way! It’s a good idea to keep up with your surrogate’s doctors appointments and pregnancy milestones. The relationship between surrogates and intended parents can become very close, as surrogacy is a very intimate experience.
You may want to think about any “push presents” you will be giving your surrogate during the pregnancy. While these gifts are in no way required, they are a great way to show your gratitude for your surrogate’s generosity.
Now would be the time to begin prepping your nursery, baby-proofing your home, and working on your birth plan. On delivery day, you will finally be able to meet your new baby, it’s best to prepare for the emotional and incredible experience beforehand.

Choosing an LGBTQ+ Friendly Surrogacy Agency

Deciding which surrogacy agency that you would like to work with during your surrogacy journey can be difficult. Unfortunately, gay and lesbian intended parents can sometimes face discrimination when trying to build their family. Members of the LGBTQ+ community should work to seek out agencies with a successful history of working with same-sex couples. Here are some tips that will aid you in the process of finding the perfect LGBTQ+ friendly surrogacy agency.

• Don’t be afraid to look online – Most agencies will have a website online where they can connect with clients and provide potential surrogates, donors, and intended parents with information about assisted reproduction. If you pour over an agency’s site and there is no mention of serving same-sex couples or even a non-discrimination policy, you may want to look elsewhere.
• Ask your peers for recommendations – There are entire communities online that are dedicated to bringing together families that have been started by surrogacy. You can find specific groups on social media sites, such as Facebook, and ask for agency recommendations based on your specifications. Most times others will be happy to give you advice on LGBTQ+ friendly agencies. Additionally, friends and family members who have gone through the process of surrogacy are great resources.
• Voice Your Concerns – Any questions or concerns that you may have about the surrogacy process should be voiced as early on as possible. You may wish to schedule a call or in-person meeting with agencies that you are considering working with. During these meetings, you should ask for as much information as possible regarding their policies when working with same-sex couples. Some red flags to keep an eye out for are: inexperience, limited knowledge of same-sex family law such as second-parent adoptions, and even an unwillingness to answer questions.

Final Thoughts

Members of the LGBTQ+ community seeking to start their families via surrogacy should perform research on the process of surrogacy. Simple Surrogacy is happy to be a part of your surrogacy journey and does not discriminate against people on the basis of sexual orientation. We welcome members of the LGBTQ+ community and want to help deserving parents experience the joys of raising a child all your own.