Having a spouse or partner can be beneficial during your surrogacy journey. But relationships can be complicated. While having the support of a spouse throughout your surrogacy process can be helpful, it is not necessary to become a surrogate.
To get answers to your surrogate relationship questions, reach out to a surrogacy professional today.
Going through a divorce or separation during your surrogacy process can make things a bit difficult. You are perfectly capable of being a single surrogate, but the emotional and legal implications a divorce or separation can have on your surrogacy process should be taken into account. In this article, we answer common surrogate relationship questions.
Can I be a Surrogate if I’m going Through a Divorce?
Potentially, but you may want to consider waiting before beginning your surrogacy journey. Whether you and your former partner had planned to go through the surrogacy together or you were already in the middle of the divorce proceedings when you decided you wanted to become a surrogate, you might be wondering how this will affect your surrogacy journey.
If you are still in the midst of your divorce when you begin your surrogacy process, you won’t be turned down indefinitely. However, your surrogacy professional will likely advise that you wait to begin the process until your divorce is finalized. Surrogacy and divorce are both emotional processes. By trying to take both on at once, you may emotionally overload yourself. That’s why it’s important to give yourself some time to mentally recover from the divorce before officially becoming a surrogate.
You can take this mental break to learn more about surrogacy and start talking to your surrogacy professional to decide if this is the right path for you.
What Happens if I Begin my Divorce During Surrogacy?
If you and your partner began your surrogacy journey together but have since gone your separate ways, you might be wondering if this will affect your surrogacy.
Before you move onto the next step of your surrogacy process, you will need to consider your spouse’s involvement in the surrogacy. Depending on your state’s laws, it’s possible that your partner could need to be involved in the legal process when the baby is born. That’s why you and your spouse are asked to sign contracts before the medical portion of the process. This establishes everyone’s role in the process and ensures everyone’s rights are protected.
If you are beginning your divorce during surrogacy before signing these contracts, you will likely want to wait to do so until the divorce is finalized. This keeps things from becoming overcomplicated from a legal standpoint.
If you have already signed the contracts, this could legally complicate the process. Talk to your surrogacy attorney to get the best advice for your specific situation.
It’s important that you communicate with your surrogacy professional if you and your spouse have decided to divorce in the middle of your surrogacy process. This might feel like an awkward conversation to have, but it’s purely precautionary. They will be able to prepare and avoid any potential legal complications that may occur during your surrogacy process.
Divorce is a huge life change. It’s easy to feel lost, especially when you’re in the middle of your surrogacy process. Your surrogacy professional can also offer you guidance and counseling during this time, as well as refer you to other helpful resources.
What if my Partner and I aren’t Officially Divorced? [How to Become a Surrogate if you are Separated]
While being married isn’t a requirement with most surrogacy agencies, you will need to clearly define your marital status. If you are separated but not divorced, your surrogacy professional may advise you to wait to start the surrogacy process. Taking on the responsibilities of surrogacy during a separation or right after a divorce can be emotionally draining.
In general, all surrogates must provide an official marital status of single or divorced to become a surrogate. If you and your partner are separated but not officially divorced, you may want to wait until your divorce has been finalized.
Every surrogacy agency is different and some may be willing to work with you if you haven’t officially filed for divorce, so it’s worth communicating your concerns to your surrogacy professional.
Can I Get Married During the Surrogacy Process?
This isn’t something that happens often, but if this question applies to your situation, yes you can get married during the surrogacy process. However, you may want to consider holding off on the wedding until after the baby has been born. Planning a wedding requires a lot of time and emotional energy, as does the surrogacy process.
Trying to balance wedding planning with the responsibilities of surrogacy may end up being very overwhelming. Many surrogates also hold off on getting married until after the baby is born because they don’t want to be pregnant on their wedding day. A pregnancy may affect the way your wedding dress fits, or how you’re feeling physically and emotionally.
While these are all things worth taking into consideration, if you feel you can handle a wedding during your surrogacy, you are able to do so.
If you need additional support or have more questions about relationships and surrogacy, reach out to a surrogacy professional today to get the guidance you need.