Surrogacy – SBS Insight

Tonight, we watched the SBS Insight series that explored the topic of surrogacy. They interviewed a number of beautiful surrogacy and intending parents and they talked about their special stories.

There were a number of different opinions.

Surrogate No. 1:

• Surrogate wanted to be alone at the birth, it did not happen that way
• She was a surrogate for her sister
• She was supportive of altruistic surrogacy
• Unfortunately, they live a long way away – USA and Australia
• Intending parent felt that the pregnancy was very hard, hard to be so far away, and not experiencing birth
• Surrogate arrived at 36 weeks mark from USA, to be in Australia for the birth
• The sisters are closer for undertaking surrogacy
• They have experienced something beyond words

Surrogate No. 2:

• Wanted to be friends with the intending parents first
• Everything changed once the hypothetical became a reality
• 12 weeks scan was not normal, blood test detected T18 disorder, does not sustain life. Assumed termination would occur.
• The surrogate indicated that you really don’t know what you will do.
• Legally it is the surrogate’s decision to terminate or not.
• Needed to have very open discussions
• It seems that the biggest problem arise when there is an established relationship between the surrogate and intending parents before the surrogacy journey

Intending Parents No. 1:

• Gay couple that tried commercial surrogacy in USA, it was not successful
• Met with a surrogate from rural NSW, which was again unsuccessful due to health concerns with the surrogate
• Third time lucky
• You form a lifetime bond with the surrogate
• Inviting them into your family, creating a family
• It is special that the surrogate’s DNA is firmly embodied in the new family
• Not a tradition family but important to keep the family bond
• It is our family
• It took sleepless nights searching the web site, lots of chats with people on the web to find the surrogate
• Twins born at 27 weeks, bit scary as it is so early, the scare made it very real for intended parents and surrogate
• Surrogate must have an amazing husband that gives support
• Can never put a dollar amount on surrogacy, the surrogate will never be the same after surrogacy, it changes their life completely
• Intended parents would like to compensate the surrogate financially

Intending Parents No. 2:

• Surrogate from India, cost about $30,000
• They asked people but could not find anyone to help them
• In India, they met surrogate, doctor and lawyer
• Legal Agreements were signed with:
• Intending parent and clinic
• Intending parents and surrogate
• Intending parents and surrogate’s husband
• The surrogate gets about 3 or 4 years of wages (Approx. AUD$7,000) in addition they gave them extra money after the birth for the surrogates family

Researcher:

• Against all forms of surrogacy
• Altruistic surrogacy is exceptional, but extremely rare
• Concerns over the surrogacy’s right to life
• Wants to stop this industry before it becomes are big as prostitution
• Average expense for surrogacy in India AUD$70,000, local altruistic surrogacy in Australia AUD$30,000

Counsellor:

•      Undertaken 150 altruistic surrogacies
•      The established process is:
•      send intending parents and surrogate a list of questions
•      interview separately, as couples and all together
•      prepare report
•      all parties read the final report
•      Over the last 25 years (and 150 surrogacies) the counsellor has recommended 1 arrangement to not go ahead and questioned 10

Doctor:

• A bunch of cells is not a baby
• Surrogate is contributing an enormous amount to the cells to create a baby
• Believes that there are two biological mothers in a surrogacy process

Lawyer:

• Legal agreement is not binding, except for the financial payments
• If surrogate does not hand over baby then the surrogacy must pay back expenses
• In Australia, it is extremely difficult to get through the surrogacy process, lots of provisions in place it avoid exploitation
• Identified the issue with finances, such as in SA would cannot pay for life insurance for the surrogate
• A number of children are born overseas to surrogates, the children are bought back to Australia and become citizens
• 997 children that have come into Australia from overseas may not have parents as defined under Australian Law
• Not one person has been prosecuted for bringing a child(ren) into Australia born from surrogacy arrangement
• Illegal to undertake certain acts such as paying for expenses for the surrogate which would be considered normal
• there is an opportunity for regulation reform, and consistent approach to surrogacy across Australia

Top tip:

Life insurance is very important and highly recommended


A link to the SBS Insight page and a very complex and delightful story of sisters and surrogacy.

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/thefeed/story/having-amys-baby-sister-surrogate