There are many reasons why California residents might deal with infertility. One Canadian woman experienced her own issue but was able to realize her dream of becoming a mother thanks to an unexpected source; her best friend stepped up and chose to be her surrogate.
Best friend’s selfless act
A young woman was diagnosed with a type of cervical cancer that compromised her fertility. Her doctor told her she could undergo a surgical procedure to ensure that she would still be able to have children, but it was unsuccessful, leaving her infertile while she was still only in her twenties. The surgery left her with scarring and other damage to her uterus. Attempts at in vitro fertilization failed; a fertility specialist later told her it would be unsafe to carry a pregnancy, which left her with the option of having a surrogate carry her child to term.
That’s when her best friend, whom she met on social media several months earlier, stepped in, making international fertility/surrogacy news. The friend had previously served as a gestational carrier for other women, but the two bonded over their love of the show “The Office”. Even after the young woman and her husband thought they’d found a surrogate, the best friend surprised her with a video “proposal” that featured her favorite singer, letting her know she would carry her baby for her.
Understanding surrogacy
There are two types of surrogacy: traditional, which is rarely used and involves fertilizing the surrogate’s own egg with the intended father’s sperm or donor sperm, and gestational carriers, who have no genetic link to the baby as an embryo is created and then implanted in her through IVF.
Surrogacy using a gestational carrier is the most common and popular option. Women and couples often use this method of fertility assistance when they’re unable to carry a child. In addition to reproductive cancers, other reasons to use a surrogate include same-sex or other LGBTQ couples, certain disorders or illnesses, menopause and hysterectomy.
Depending on your situation, if you need fertility assistance to start or expand your family, surrogacy might be the right option for you.