The following are the most common questions we are asked whenever we mention our children were born through surrogacy in Ukraine:
What nationality are your children?
Our children are Argentinian, since Ukrainian regulations establish that parents give children their own nationality (ius sanguini), and not their birthplace (ius soldi).
Is the gestational carrier the biological mother of your children?
The gestational carrier has a fertilized egg from the intended mother or egg donor implanted in her womb, so as to bear a child on behalf of the intended mother. She does not have any biological connection to the child.
Do parents choose the gestational carrier?
In our case, specialists from the clinic were in charge of choosing the most suitable gestational carrier for our blastocysts. Once chosen, they submitted her profile to us, which included pictures, biographical and medical data. After reviewing her profile, we could accept or not as a gestational carrier for our future child.
Is the gestational carrier in contact with the newborn after birth?
At the surrogacy agency we chose, gestational carriers and intended parents are free to decide whether and how they will remain in contact after birth. The newborn is welcome by the mother at the delivery room, if the baby is in good condition, mother and child are transferred to a private room, where they stay together with the father until release from the maternity hospital. If they all agree, gestational carrier and parents can gather as often as they like both at the hospital and later on.
Can the mother breast-feed her child?
Induced lactation is the practice of helping a woman who has not been pregnant produce milk. This might include “non-gestational parents, adoptive parents and intended parents (through surrogacy). Although, for different reasons, we have not tried this method, we encourage intended mothers to learn about the resources they have to breastfeed their children.
Is a multiple surrogacy pregnancy possible?
It is indeed possible. The fertility specialists at the surrogacy clinic ask intended parents if they are willing to have twins and, if so, they transfer two blastocysts. This increases the likelihood of multiple birth.
Are parents in contact with the gestational carrier?
During pregnancy, parents can meet and communicate with the gestational carrier with the help of their English speaking coordinator at the surrogacy agency. This usually takes place after each monthly ultrasound scan, via video call. In between video calls, parents can send gestational carriers videos or messages through their coordinator, too. After birth, gestational carriers and parents may remain in touch as much as they desire.
Should parents adopt their child?
No, since Ukrainian laws automatically recognizes both intended parents in the birth certificate.
Are parents in charge of registering their child themselves?
The surrogacy agency is in charge of requesting the birth certificate through their coordinators, who come with parents to the Civil Registry and take care of the translations from Ukrainian and the apostille paperwork necessary to apply for the emergency passport.
Please feel free to contact us if you have further questions regarding our surrogacy experiences.
Family of Four
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