Is there anything barring a single person from becoming an intended parent?

Can a single person who wishes to start a family or grow their family do so through surrogacy? And will the surrogacy process be the same as for couples?

If you are a single person in search of answers to these questions you’re in the right place.

There are a lot of unmarried individuals who dream of having a family of their own but haven’t yet found the right person to settle down with or start a family with.

Such individuals, if they are ready and committed don’t have to wait for Mr. or Mrs. Right to appear. Thanks to advances in technology, they can opt to have a baby via surrogacy.

How will this look like you’re asking? Let’s explore.

Can a Single Person Become an Intended Parent?

Yes, a single person can certainly become an intended parent via surrogacy. One’s marital status does not disqualify you from applying to become an intended parent at a surrogacy agency.

Surrogacy agencies such as Joy of Life® do not discriminate against single men or women who wish to start their families.

So long as they pass the screening test and can afford the fees there is nothing to stop them from looking forward to becoming a mother or father.

What Makes the Surrogacy Process Different?

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 singles 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 (if they are a male) or sperm (if they are female).

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 You Still Be Biologically Related?

Yes, you can be biologically related to your child so long as your own sex cells – your sperm if you’re a man or your eggs if you’re a woman – 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 expensive in vitro fertilization process that’s common in gestational surrogacy. This step can be excluded and thereby 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 such as Joy of Life®, 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

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 isn’t cheap. It can be very costly. Handling the costs of the process on a single salary can 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 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

Surrogacy is not legal in all 50 U.S. states. 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.