Intended parents come to surrogacy from all kinds of situations and backgrounds. Many of them have unsuccessfully pursued other assisted reproduction methods before turning to gestational surrogacy. They may have already spent years on unsuccessful attempts, and they may be coming to gestational surrogacy process much older than when they first wanted to be parents.
If you’re in this situation, you probably have a lot of worries about being an older parent — keeping up with the challenges of an active child, being around for as much of their life as possible, and more.
But, before you get ahead of yourself, you may be asking: Can I even pursue surrogacy if I’m of a certain age?
Gestational surrogacy is not right for everyone, and there are reasons why surrogacy agencies will turn away certain people. If you’re worried about your situation, we encourage you to call our surrogacy specialists at 1-800-875-2229(BABY) for more information.
In the meantime, learn about the realities of pursuing surrogacy as an older intended parent below.
Are Older Intended Parents Accepted into Surrogacy Programs?
Many intended parents consider all of their options before turning to gestational surrogacy. One of these common options is adoption — whether private domestic, international, or through foster care.
But, hopeful older parents may have been dismayed to find out that many adoption agencies set strict requirements on age for adoptive parents. This is for several reasons: Older adoptive parents may experience longer wait times for adoption opportunities, as many prospective birth mothers are looking for young adoptive couples who will have many active, healthy years to spend with their children.
As older intended parents research gestational surrogacy, it’s reasonable that they have the same concerns. However, surrogacy is a completely different ballgame than adoption — which makes it much more a possibility for older would-be parents.
Here at American Surrogacy, we are happy to work with intended parents across a wide range of ages. As long as you meet our agency requirements for intended parents, we can help you move forward with your surrogacy process.
For more information about working with our surrogacy agency, please contact our specialists today.
The Reality of Creating Your Own Embryo
While we are happy to help you begin your surrogacy process if you meet our intended parent requirements, you should also know there is another professional who can determine your eligibility: your reproductive endocrinologist.
One of the biggest challenges for older intended parents is the path to creating their own embryos. It’s a known fact that fertility declines as one gets older. And, it’s not just female eggs that decline in quality as they get older; there is evidence that a man’s sperm can decline, as well, making in vitro fertilization for older couples less likely to be successful.
If you have remaining embryos from earlier fertility treatments, and you created those embryos years ago, they may be of high enough quality to successfully pursue surrogacy. However, if you are looking to create fresh embryos when you’re an older intended parent, your reproductive endocrinologist may have more difficulty creating viable options.
That’s why we encourage intended parents to always speak with their fertility clinic prior to contacting a surrogacy agency. Your reproductive endocrinologist will always be the best professional to determine whether gestational surrogacy is in the cards for you. By contacting this professional early on, you can reduce the chance of wasting time and expenses moving forward with the surrogacy process before you’re truly ready.
Consider Donated Gametes
If you wish to become an intended parent through gestational surrogacy at your older age, and your current embryos are not viable, you might always consider creating embryos with donated gametes, instead.
There are many reasons that intended parents pursue surrogacy, and a genetic connection may not be the only reason you specifically are choosing this path. Surrogacy gives intended parents more control over their baby’s development in utero and reassurance that the baby will be “theirs” after birth (in comparison to adoption, where a prospective birth mother can always change her mind). Surrogacy also offers options for single and LGBT intended parents who may not be able to safely adopt locally.
On that note, you may be okay with still pursuing surrogacy if your own gametes can’t be used in an embryo. There are many sperm and egg cells available for donation that can offer you a better chance at a viable embryo and pregnancy.
Always talk to your reproductive endocrinologist if you think donated gametes may be necessary. This is a big decision to make; you’ll need to do research into how the process works, how you choose a donor, what it’s like raising a donor-conceived child, and more.
Remember: Your surrogacy specialist is always here to support you, and you talk to an American Surrogacy specialist about this topic anytime. For more information, contact us today at 1-800-875-2229(BABY).