Completing Your Family Surrogacy for Same-Sex Couples in Florida – Part 2

LGBTQ singles and same sex couples can use a surrogate in Florida to build their family. I personally used a surrogate and understand it can be a very overwhelming process. However, with the right team in place, it can be a beautiful option. The first step is for the parent or parents to locate their surrogate and to obtain an egg donor or a sperm donor, depending on their needs. Once these are located, the surrogate will undergo psychological analysis by a licensed therapist. She will also be medically screened by a reproductive endocrinologist.

In looking for a surrogate, you want to consider a variety of factors, including her age, whether she had prior uncomplicated pregnancies, and you want to make sure that everyone’s on the same page with some of the big issues, such as how many embryos to transfer and whether if there was something wrong with the fetus, whether all the parties would agree to termination of the pregnancy. Once the surrogate receives these medical clearances, the parties will either enter into a gestational surrogacy contract or a pre-planned adoption agreement, depending on the situation.

The couple or the parents will be represented by an attorney, and they will hire and pay for a separate attorney to represent the surrogate. Once the contract is finalized, the parties then can begin the medical procedures. When the surrogate is officially pregnant, she will receive monthly payments throughout the pregnancies, typically held in an escrow account. When the child is born, depending on the situation, I will file the proper pleadings with the court that will allow me to remove the surrogate from the birth certificate, terminating any of her parental rights, and to name the parent or the parents as the sole legal parents of the child. In either situation, the surrogate will have no right to change her mind, as to the relinquishment of her parental rights to the child, unless it’s determined to be her genetic child. Florida is considered a surrogacy friendly state and surrogacy is a wonderful option for those considering building a family.