Surrogacy Ukraine: What is it Like to be a Surrogate Mother

Surrogacy is a helping hand for parents that cannot carry a child on their own, a beautiful gift that words can’t describe for families in need, but what is it like to be the woman that carries this child?

Surrogacy has been making headlines since it became a conventional practice, but in the last ten years, surrogacy Ukraine has been seeing record numbers. Because of newly formed and ratified laws concerning the strict policies that intended parents and surrogate mothers must follow, surrogacy Ukraine has been marketed to be one of the most surrogate friendly countries in the world.

We know that the laws protect both the mental and physical health of the surrogate mother, but speculation has arisen that being a surrogate mother may be detrimental to some disadvantaged women. Taking advantage of their wombs and their empty wallets. These problems had surfaced in both India and Thailand, causing both countries to revisit their surrogacy laws and eliminate them completely in some areas.  Surrogacy Ukraine is compensated, where the surrogate mother can claim an income from the process. Most countries in the world that are viewed as only moderately surrogate friendly – such as Canada and Australia- only allow altruistic surrogacy. A term used when the mother can received no legal compensation for any services rendered. Which begs the question, is this womb for hire the shady business it’s made out to be?

Alina, a 25 year old surrogate mother, stands in her kitchen while she bakes some cookies with her five year old daughter. Alina is a first time surrogate mother, buoyant in her late second trimester. I’ve asked her a few questions about what it’s really like to be a purveyor of surrogacy Ukraine.

Do you enjoy what you do?

Alina: Yes, very much. I very much liked being pregnant when I was with my own child. It has always been a very beautiful experience for me. I do not have trouble with pregnancies. I can still cook and work and go to the park with my daughter. It’s a very nice experience.

Do you have a job?

Alina: Oh yes, I am a secretary for a nearby business. It is not hard work. I do some computing and answer phones, but I really enjoy it. I have worked there for seven years already!

If you already have a job, what made you want to become a surrogate mother?

Alina: It is not about money for me. I enjoy the little extra money that being a surrogate gives my family, but mostly I know that my daughter is the most wonderful thing in my life and it broke my heart to know that other people would not be able to experience this joy.

How does your family feel about you being a surrogate?

Alina: They are all very supportive. Before I could become a surrogate, I had to pass many mental tests and my Husband had to show his approval with my decision. My husband is very positive about surrogacy ukraine. My daughter loves it very much. She knows that I am helping another family and the baby is not her brother, but she enjoys feeling him kick.

What made you become a surrogate in the first place?

Alina: Surrogacy Ukraine is a big deal here. Many people discuss it. Some say bad things, others say good things. I was curious about it. When I was reading a family talk about how wonderful it was for them to have a child and how blessed they felt that there was someone there that could help them, I knew it was something that I would want to do.

Is there anything you don’t like about being a surrogate?

Alina: Yes and no. Sometimes I am feeling very lazy and don’t like that I have to go to weekly appointments for health checks. [laughs] It’s not really a bad thing, but sometimes it would be nice to get to feel lazy. In the first few months I was sick in the mornings, which was not normal for me. But that passed. There are times when pregnancy can be uncomfortable, but it does not change my mind.

As I watch Alina and her little girl run around the kitchen, play games, and go to the park for walks, I can’t see even a hint of this laziness that she speaks of. She seems like every caring mother I’ve ever seen. No different from those that are hosting their own pregnancy. I don’t see any of the darkness that “womb for hire” campaigns speak of.

The selection process for possible mothers for surrogacy Ukraine is shockingly difficult and thorough. I spoke to one of the doctors at a top listed clinic that provides surrogacy Ukraine with services. The doctor preferred to remain anonymous in order to protect their own privacy and the privacy of their patients.  

So what is the selection process like to be eligible as a surrogate mother?

Doctor: There are many physical and mental health checks that a potential surrogate mother must go through. They are expected to be in top mental and physical condition. They cannot have any errant health problems. They must have already had at least one child of their own. This shows that the woman in question is capable of carrying a pregnancy to term with little or no problem. There is also the psychological belief, that if a women has a child of her own, she will be less inclined to experience postpartum depression with the surrogate child.

Are these health checks on going throughout the surrogacy process?

Doctor: Yes. Once a potential surrogacy Ukraine candidate passes all of the initial health exams, they are then matched with suitable intended parents. This is not generally an easy process, as we like the goals and general morals of the surrogate mother to closely match or mirror those of the intended parents. There is usually some group counselling with all parties involved after an initial decision is made. If that goes well, and the surrogate meets the needs of the intending parents, they are impregnated with IVF. When the pregnancy is secured, the surrogate mother then returns to our clinic on a weekly basis to have general health and wellbeing checks performed.  Our surrogate mothers get far more intensive care than most pregnant women do.

Do you think surrogacy Ukraine takes advantage of poor women with limited options?

Doctor: No. No, absolutely not, I actually feel like the laws regarding who can be a potential surrogate completely negate that as a possibility. You must be in good health, with proper nourishment and a healthy and calm home environment to be able to even apply. Surrogacy Ukraine is very selective when it comes to who it allows to be a surrogate mother. I think it is these laws and their nature that has seen such an increase in intended parents coming to Ukraine in search of a surrogate.

While surrogacy remains a contentious concept and laws concerning it differ greatly by the country a person resides in, it seems like the laws regarding surrogacy Ukraine are progressive and protective to say the least. Many people will still happily point out that there is a “black market” for surrogacy that can wind up taking advantage of needy woman, that black market exists just about anywhere- from stolen goods to organs. If intended parents take the time to find a reputable agency, and do their research along the way, surrogacy Ukraine can offer both the intended parents and the surrogate mother the gift of life.