Early surrogacy for young intended parents
It’s rare for young intended parents to go with the surrogacy option as there is hope to become parents as they are young.
When a female partner is unable to carry the pregnancy or unable to become pregnant then they can go for surrogacy.
While Youngs who are single/lesbian/gay may decide to become parents at a very young age.
Singles/lesbians/gays require egg/sperm donation in becoming parents through surrogacy.
Thought of becoming a surrogate mother at a young age
Being a surrogate is a big problem; it is a journey that requires physical and emotional commitment, despite the challenges.
It is not a path to weakness.
Therefore, surrogacy is not legally accepted.
During adolescence, a woman is not strong enough to handle a surrogate pregnancy safely and successfully.
She can still live at home with her parents and can never meet the requirements to become a surrogate at the age of 18, 19, or less.
To become a surrogate, a woman needs several important qualifications:
- Be between the ages of 21 and 45.
- Successfully consider the deadline.
- You are raising a child in your own home.
- Be financially strong and able to travel when needed.
While it is clear that a teenager does not meet any requirements for being a surrogate mother.
These are non-negotiable requirements.
A teenage girl cannot be replaced if she does not achieve these qualifications, no matter how devoted she is or how comfortable her intended parents feel in surrogacy for adolescents.
Juvenile girls disagree with this unusual decision.
Therefore, no surrogacy agency legally allows this.
During adolescence, the brain is still evolving and one may not understand all the long-term responsibilities and impacts of this decision on one’s life.
Even every potential surrogate should evaluate the risks associated with the surrogate and the rewards before embarking on this journey.
Is it possible to become a surrogate at 18, 19, or 20 years of age?
A young woman aged 18, 19, or 20 is not considered a minor, but should not be a surrogate mother.
Surrogacy experts have set the age limit for surrogacy at 21 for some reason and have made no exception to this rule.
The fact that a girl is a legal adult does not mean that experts will accept her into the process of gestational surrogacy.
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine sets this standard based on expert opinion.
Therefore, she will have trouble finding an agency, lawyer, or surrogacy clinic to deal with gestational surrogacy if she is not less than 21 years old.
Why it’s impossible to be a surrogate for teens?
Many young women ask for their eligibility: “I am 18 and I want to be a surrogate” which is not allowed/legal due to many reasons discussed below.
As mentioned above, surrogacy is a difficult path.
The challenges and dangers require attention when you are a teenager.
Simply put, a teenager is not practically or emotionally ready to embark on the journey of being a surrogate.
A surrogacy specialist can always explain to young women why replacing adolescents is impossible and bad advice.
Here are just a few reasons they can say:
Lack of previous pregnancy:
To be a surrogate, you must be pregnant before the due date and take care of your baby.
If you are a teenager, this is an unlikely situation.
Keep in mind: Intended parents want a gestational carrier that has been shown to successfully lead a low-risk pregnancy, and an 18-year-old surrogate mother may not be able to provide a guarantee.
Physical development:
Your body will continue to develop into late age and the age of 20.
These changes can make it difficult to predict how you will respond to the experience of pregnancy and childbirth.
Emotional maturity:
Your mind is constantly evolving during adolescence.
For the first time, you will experience great freedom and responsibility and find out who you are and what you want to do.
Adding to all this pregnancy can be even more difficult.
Note: By the young age we mean the legal age of becoming parents.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3531011/
Ravi Sharma is a self-motivated, successful entrepreneur and has a solid experience in the fertility segment. and he is the director at ARTbaby Global (ARThealthcare). He is a pharmacy graduate with post-graduation in business administration and has 14 years of rich experience in the field of infertility segment. He loves to write about IVF, Surrogacy, and other ART (assisted reproductive technology) news, issues, and updates. He is a Pharmacy graduate (B. Pharm) and M.B.A (marketing).
His most recent success includes the successful launch of the medical tourism company, ARTbaby, which offers treatment options for infertility, egg donation, and surrogacy. He likes spending time with his family and writing about various aspects of IVF surrogacy and donating eggs.