The history of surrogacy dates back to 1979 when Dr. Richard Levin met with a couple that was unable to conceive a child. The couple had been seen by a variety of other doctors who were unable to help. After discussions with Dr. Levin the woman’s ultimate motive was to have her husband’s child even if she could not carry the pregnancy. Dr. Levin suggested the couple be open to the use of a donor woman or what we now call a “Surrogate Mother”. Along with a group of attorneys, Dr. Levin spent nine months looking at state and federal laws to identify what the legal ramifications would be in the use of a surrogate. The ethical and religions point of views were look at to identify a variety of reasons why this arrangement would not be feasible. He also took into consideration the moral values of the local community and consulted with varies clergymen. With careful consideration a contractual agreement was finalized taking into full consideration the infertile couple, the surrogate mother, and the child.
During another nine month evaluation process by the legal and medical team, the first surrogate mother came into being. A mutual agreement with the surrogate and the couple allowed for artificial inseminated to take place in the early 1980’s. The surrogate mother conceived within the first month and labor was induced nine months later birthing a baby born and handed the baby over to the couple. Within days the Circuit Court terminated her rights as the legal guardian and gave guardianship to the biologic father. The couple then followed the legal channels formalizing their rights as the parents of the baby boy. “This was the world’s first case of legal, planned, surrogate parenting”.

Surrogacy arrangements will continue to require good will on both parties and the genetic couple will have to seek a change in parentage through the court. Section 30 of the 1990 Act in order to issue a parental order, the following conditions must be applied.
The genetic (commissioning) couple must be married and over 18 years old.
One or both commissioning partners must be genetically related to the child.
One or both commissioning partners must be a UK resident.
The child must be in their care.
The host couple must have given their consent.
No money must have been paid.
Application for parental order should be made when the child is over 6 weeks old but less than 6 months old.

Grandchildren

My favorite part of getting older was having grandchildren. All three live in California but we talk constently and I love to spoil them when we are together. We see each other two to three times a year if possible. It is difficult living so far away from them, but circumstances and the workforce keep it that way for now.

Definition

Surrogacy is an arrangement whereby a woman agrees to become pregnant for the purpose of gestating and giving birth to a child for others to raise. She may be the child's genetic mother (the more traditional form of surrogacy) or she may be implanted with someone else's fertilized egg (gestational surrogacy).
The word surrogate, from Latin surrogatus (substituted), means appointed to act in the place of. The existence of the concept of one woman bearing a child for another dates back to the Old Testament, when Hagar, the maidservant of Sarah, lies with Abraham to bear a child for her infertile mistress.

More research

The most common reasons for women seeking IVF surrogacy are those that are producing eggs but unable to carry the pregnancy due to a hysterectomy because of cancer, a ruptured womb from varies reasons, or born without a uterus.
There are two types of surrogacy, first is the gestational carrier which the woman carries the pregancy that was created by the egg and sperm of the couple. Second, traditional surrogate where the woman's egg and the genetic couple's sperm is inseminated into her. This results in a genetic link of the child to the male, but not to the female partner.

Surrogate Motherhood
The orientation meeting with the couple and the ovum donor coordinator.
Many couples consider using their own egg and sperm when selecting a surrogate mother. They have been unable to convice on their own. the other practice is to use a donor egg after much thought and trials with IVF. The coordinator and councilor have the couple project themselves into the future and consider how they feel if they succeed in getting pregnant using donor eggs. Most couples decide on a surrogate after a number of years of unsuccessful tries with IVF.