Attorney Help Through a Pennsylvania Surrogacy

By Sheryl Rentz on July 5, 2016

Making the decision to pursue surrogacy as a means of having a child can be a great option, especially for couples who have found it difficult to conceive naturally. Surrogacy is where a woman (also known as the surrogate mother) makes an agreement with another person or couple (also known as the intended parent or parents) to carry their child. There are two types of surrogacy: traditional and gestational. Traditional surrogacy involves artificially fertilizing the surrogate’s egg with the father’s sperm. Gestational surrogacy is where an embryo created from the intended mother’s egg and the intended father’s sperm is implanted in the surrogate mother. Once the child is born, typically the intended parents will assume all rights to the child and the surrogate mother is free of any financial responsibility or support of the child.

Because surrogacy is both a complex and intimate process for all parties involved, it is necessary to have the counsel of a Montgomery County surrogacy or family law attorney there to help you draft a surrogacy agreement prior to beginning the procedure. A surrogacy agreement is a legal contract written to cover the entire duration of the surrogacy by defining the rights and obligations of both the surrogate mother and the intended parents. It will outline important information regarding who is responsible for the cost of certain procedures and medical treatments the surrogate mother will need, what are the maximum number of attempts the surrogate mother and intended parents are expecting to try in order to achieve a successful pregnancy, and most importantly, who will have custody once the child is born.

You’ll need a dedicated Pennsylvania surrogacy attorney or family law attorney who has dealt with cases such as these before. Your attorney help to make the overall process easier by providing an objective approach when drafting the surrogacy agreement so the terms are clear for everyone involved. If any disputes or arguments come up during or after the pregnancy, they can help mediate and hopefully resolve them.

Your attorney will also understand the complex and constantly-changing nature of surrogacy laws that vary from state to state and will be able to answer any questions you may have throughout the entirety of your surrogacy relationship. Surrogacy can be a difficult and emotional journey but comes with the wonderful possibility of having a child. The Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz, P.C. is ready to help ensure your rights are being protected during the course of this arrangement, so give us a call today. We can be reached at (610) 645-0100.