Many people were surprised to learn that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have elected to use a different surrogate to carry their fourth baby this time around. It can be really easy to assume that they were simply unhappy with how the first surrogate pregnancy went or their relationship with their first surrogate. However, there are actually many different reasons why intended parents would choose choose a different surrogate – and they aren’t just because of unhappiness with her. Here are 8 of them.
- They are ready to have another baby before the surrogate is ready. Though beautiful, surrogacy is an intense process that ends in a pregnancy and birth. The surrogate may need more time to recover from the birth, either physically or emotionally, than the couple is willing to wait. Sometimes surrogates want to travel or just have a break from pregnancy for a little while. Other times, upcoming work or school responsibilities may make it difficult for her to plan another pregnancy right away.
- The surrogate does not want to do another cycle: Some surrogates just don’t want to do another cycle. They may have thoroughly enjoyed the process and relationship with their intended parents and the baby, but feel in their heart that they are done being pregnant.
- The surrogate cannot do another cycle for health reasons: Unfortunately, complications do occur during pregnancy and childbirth. A surrogate who had a health issue come up during or after the cycle may not be eligible to carry another pregnancy. Though incredibly rare, a surrogate can even lose her fertility, meaning that she can’t carry a pregnancy again. And of course, health issues can arise after the birth that have nothing to do with pregnancy, but still mean that she can’t get pregnant again.
- The surrogate is pregnant: Some surrogates decide to expand their own family and have another baby shortly after their cycle ends. In other cases, the surrogate is ready to participate in another surrogacy cycle before the intended parents are ready to have another baby.
- The surrogate moves to a less surrogate-friendly state: Moves happen; either to be closer to extended family, because of a job, due to the need for a more affordable living situation, or just because they are ready for a change. Surrogacy laws are different in every state and if the surrogate moves to a state where surrogacy contracts are not honored or allowed, she may not be eligible for another cycle.
- The intended parents prefer to work with a different agency: Sometimes it’s not the relationship between the surrogate and intended parents that encountered challenges, but the one between the intended parent and surrogacy agency. If the intended parents prefer to not work with the surrogacy agency again, either because of cost or perceived or actual problems that occurred during the process, they may not be able to work with the surrogate again either, simply because she is not registered with the new agency.
- The relationship went sour: And of course, sometimes it is the relationship between the surrogate and the intended parents that had some difficulty during the process. Perhaps they had differences in opinion in how the surrogate should behave during the pregnancy or delivery, or maybe just the relationship wasn’t what either party wanted for a second round. Whatever the reason may be, it is usually preferable to look for a new surrogate the next time, especially if they weren’t completely happy the first time.
- They want to protect her privacy: Celebrity intended parents may choose to use someone different if the surrogate’s identity had been revealed during the first pregnancy in order to protect her. High profile parents usually prefer to protect the privacy of their surrogate, in order to keep the spotlight of the press away from her and her family.
In the case of Kim and Kanye, Life&Style magazine reports that the couple had some issues with the original surrogacy agency revealing private information to the public and elected to work with a new company this time around.
Despite the challenges faced the first time around, Kim and Kanye have been incredibly enthusiastic about their previous experiences with surrogacy. We are happy that surrogacy has worked out so well for them and thrilled that they feel comfortable enough with the process of surrogacy in order to complete their family.
