FMC Founder Debunks Surrogacy Myths with PureWow
What People Get Wrong About Surrogacy
Levich walked PureWow through the myths she hears most after 20 years in the field. One of the most common is that women become surrogates primarily for the compensation. While compensation is an important and appropriate part of the process, women who qualify to become surrogates must meet specific financial and personal criteria and cannot be financially dependent on surrogacy compensation. Many are drawn to surrogacy because they enjoyed pregnancy, feel their families are complete, and want to help someone else experience parenthood.
Surrogacy Is a Deeply Personal Decision
When public figures share that they have built their family through surrogacy, speculation about why often follows. The reality is that people pursue surrogacy for many different and deeply personal reasons. The assumption that someone chooses surrogacy simply to avoid pregnancy or changes to their body does not reflect the reality of why the vast majority of people pursue the process.
Genetics, Legal Parentage, and Trust
Another common misconception is that a surrogate is genetically related to the baby she carries. In gestational surrogacy, the embryo is created separately and transferred to the surrogate, meaning she has no genetic relationship to the baby. Experienced reproductive attorneys also play an important role in establishing parentage and ensuring that the rights and responsibilities of everyone involved are clearly addressed.
Surrogacy is a supreme example of human kindness where people are coming together to create families.
Misconceptions also extend to the relationship between intended parents and their surrogate and how decisions are made throughout the process. Far from being purely transactional, surrogacy involves extensive conversations, careful alignment on important issues, and a tremendous amount of trust between everyone involved.
In her conversation with PureWow, Levich addresses six of the most common myths about surrogacy and offers perspective drawn from more than two decades of helping intended parents build their families.
