Deciding to use a surrogate to have a child, or be a surrogate yourself is a major decision. It can be a psychological and emotional ordeal as much as a physical one for the surrogate mother. In Victoria, those involved in a surrogacy arrangement are required to have counselling.
Issues dealt with in the counselling will include:
- What surrogacy will mean for all people involved, including the surrogate, commission parent or parents, donors and other family and friends
- How much control over the pregnancy the surrogate and commissioning parents will have
- What will happen in the case that there is a genetic abnormality in the baby, or if the baby’s health is at risk
- How the ongoing relationship between the child, the surrogate and commissioning parents will be arranged
- How disputes between people involved will be resolved
Dr Geraldine Lockley is a member of Psychology Melbourne’s team of qualified, registered psychologists who has special expertise in the counselling of surrogate parents and commissioning parents.