There are lots of unmarried individuals who dream of having a family of their own but haven’t yet found the right person to settle down or start a family with.
Thanks to advances in technology, single individuals can opt to have a baby via surrogacy.
When it comes to surrogacy, one’s marital status does not disqualify them from applying to become an intended parent.
Being single also doesn’t make it harder to become an intended parent. Surrogacy agencies such as Joy of Life® do not discriminate against single men or women who wish to start their families.
As long as you pass the screening test and can afford the fees, there is nothing to stop you from looking forward to becoming a mother or father.
Below, we’ll cover more information about surrogacy for single parents.
Will the surrogacy process be different for you because you are a single intended parent?
The only major difference between surrogacy for couples and surrogacy for single individuals is that heterosexual couples have the option of creating an embryo using their own healthy sex cells without needing to invest in an egg or sperm from a donor.
A single parent, on the other hand, has to work with a fertility clinic or gamete bank to source an egg or sperm.
The fertility clinic will then fuse the intended parent’s sex cells with the appropriate donor gametes.
A single intended woman will then have the embryo implanted into her own uterus if she has been deemed fit to bear children while an intended father will need to be matched with a surrogate who will carry their child.
It’s worth noting that if an intended father has already identified a friend or family member who has agreed to carry their child, they do not have to seek an egg. The surrogate can use her own eggs if they are healthy. Such a surrogacy arrangement is known as an identified surrogacy.
Can single parents still be biologically related to the child?
Yes, you can be biologically related to your child born through surrogacy so long as your own sex cells – your sperm or eggs – are healthy and are used to create the embryo.
If your sperm or eggs aren’t viable, you will need to use those of a donor. In this case, you will not be genetically related to your child.
Should single men consider traditional surrogacy?
There are two types of surrogacy – traditional and gestational. Traditional surrogacy is when the single man’s sperm is artificially inseminated into the uterus of the surrogate.
Consequently, there is no need to go through the in vitro fertilization process that’s common in gestational surrogacy. This allows some form of cost-savings.
Traditional surrogacy is a great option if the surrogate is a close friend of the man or a family member. In this case, the intended father may not have to find an egg from the donor bank.
Yes, single men ought to consider traditional surrogacy as an option.
Finding an egg donor as a single man
If you’re a single man, what does the surrogacy process say about finding an egg donor?
If you’re working through a reputable surrogacy agency, they will be able to recommend reliable gamete banks and fertility clinics to work with.
These clinics will help you find a suitable egg donor at a fee.
Alternatively, a single man can ask a close family member or female friend if they would consider donating an egg so they can have a baby.
Finding a sperm donor as a single woman
A single woman wanting to have her own child will also need to approach a sperm bank to find a sperm donor.
Your surrogacy specialist has a list of recommended fertility clinics that can assist you to find an appropriate match.
If it is not possible to secure sperm from a donor bank, a single woman can also ask a male family member or close male friend if they would be open to the idea of donating their sperm so they can realize their dream of having a baby.
Building a strong support system as a single parent
One aspect that surrogacy agencies stress to single parents is the need to have a strong support system in place prior to starting the surrogacy process.
This is because surrogacy can be a long arduous journey that can last anywhere from 12 to 24 months.
Not having a spouse to share the responsibilities with can prove taxing on one person.
It doesn’t matter who your support system comprises of so long as these are people you can count on if you need assistance such as going to doctor’s appointments, grocery shopping, cleaning the house, and so forth.
Having someone to turn to and talk to will be critical because pregnancy will be an emotional roller-coaster.
Preparing financially for the surrogacy process
The surrogacy process involves different expenses. Handling the costs of the process on a single salary may be hard to manage. It’s not impossible – but it will not be easy, either.
This is compounded by the fact that there isn’t as much federal or state assistance for surrogacy programs as there is for adoption programs.
As a result, a single person thinking of surrogacy must first plan and organize their finances and ensure they will be ready to not only go through the surrogacy process but be able to support themselves and the child once it is born.
Preparing to become a single parent through surrogacy
Surrogacy is not legal in all 50 U.S. states like it is in California. If you intend to engage in the process, ensure you have done due diligence ahead of time.
Secondly, you must mentally prepare yourself for the role of being a single parent and all the emotional stress that comes with it. Be ready to address the barrage of questions surrounding your child’s birth and the stigma that still accompanies single parents.
Thirdly, if you’re a single intended father, you must work very hard to craft a compelling intended parent profile so surrogate mothers will be reassured about your ability to weather this single parenthood journey alone.
While there are indeed numerous challenges that can make it seem more difficult to pursue the surrogacy process as a single parent, the most important thing is to be 100% confident in your surrogacy decision and to know why you want to go this route over other possible ways to start a family such as adoption.
Speak with our surrogacy specialists
If you would like to learn more about the surrogacy process as a single parent, feel free to contact Joy of Life®. Our team includes past surrogates and intended parents themselves. We have a highly experienced group of surrogacy coordinators who can answer your questions.
