If you read the news, the media makes it seem like becoming a surrogate is an easy process. Any time an issue comes up, it becomes national news with journalists often spinning stories using biased or inaccurate information. The sad thing is, people routinely take what the media says as fact, when important details are omitted or obscured. Of all the things the media gets wrong about becoming a surrogate, the following four are some of the biggest.

1. There’s a Difference Between Gestational and Traditional

When some people think of becoming a surrogate, it’s sometimes traditional surrogacy that comes to mind. In traditional surrogacy, the egg donor is also the woman who carries the baby. Nowadays, gestational surrogates are the ones who carry the baby, and another donor provides the eggs. More often than not, today’s surrogates are actually gestational surrogates, who have no biological relationship to the child.

2. Reputable Agencies Screen All Candidates

When you work with a reputable agency like Surrogate Parenting Services (SPS), all parties are carefully screened. Cristie Montgomery actually visits surrogates in their own homes during the initial assessment, to ensure women can provide a healthy environment prior to becoming a surrogate. Women also undergo rigorous medical and mental health evaluations, so that the pregnancies are healthy and the journey is smooth. The screening process also enables SPS to carefully match up gestational surrogates with intended parents of similar lifestyles and values.

3. Surrogacy is a Personal Journey

The media would have people believe that the process is cold, sterile, and clinical. Realistically, nothing is more personal than the surrogacy journey. All members of a team spend time getting to know one another. They visit frequently throughout the process, and intended parents are involved and kept up to date on progress. This constant contact facilitates close bonds between intended parents and their surrogates, and the friendships that form often last a lifetime.

4. Surrogates Don’t Have Rights to the Child

Laws vary in each state, but here in California, a gestational surrogate does not have any legal rights to claim the child she carries. The parental rights of intended parents is established ahead of time, and the courts have a firm track record of upholding the laws as they are written. Moreover, because the woman who carries the baby generally does not have a biological relationship to the child, many courts outside of California will not recognize her as a mother either. At SPS, we pair our clients up with a lawyer as well, to ensure everyone’s rights are protected throughout the process.

While it may be true that not every agency operates like SPS does, we take great care to screen, match, and guide our clients from the very start of the journey until after the baby is placed in the loving arms of his intended parents. If you’re interested in becoming a surrogate or you’d like to become a parent with the help of one, we can help. Please contact us today for more information.