Guest Post: Surrogacy Vs. Adoption - Weighing the Options

When it comes to having a child, I know I am making the biggest decisions I will ever make. That is why I want to do things right and weigh all of my options. Adoption and surrogacy are both choices that are viable for building my family. I just need to decide which of the two options is right for me. In adoption, we would assume the parental role for a child who has been genetically created by other people. We would not have biological connections to that child, but we would raise him or her as our own. In a surrogacy situation, another woman would carry our child, who may be able to have biological connections to us. Not all surrogacies work out that way, however, and biological connections can still vary. Either way, I would end up with a child who would legally be my own and that is the important bottom line. Here are some things I am considering in terms of differences between the two. 

-Money 
Adoption is usually more cost effective than surrogacy. Surrogacy can be tens of thousands of dollars while most adoptions cost half or even less of a surrogacy process. With an adoption, I would only have to pay for the court expenses and a few other things. With a surrogate, I would have to pay health fees, administrative fees and a number of other items. 

-Legalities 
Surrogacy has a lot of complicated laws attached to it and those laws vary from state to state. Adoption has a variety of laws as well, but since more people go through the process, they are more set in stone. 

 -Options 
While I would get to choose a surrogate, I would not have too many other choices in that process. With adoption, I could choose not only from where to adopt a child, but what age range I think I would enjoy. I could choose to adopt a child from another country as well. I also get to think about things like the relationship the child might have with his or her biological parents. I could choose to have no contact at all or I might want to have a more open visitation between the families. Since I know that having a child is one of the most important aspects of my family's future, I want to make the right decisions. All of these options are valid and my ultimate decision will depend on the direction my opinion falls on each issue. 

About the Author Rowena Kang is the Outreach Director for the Morgan Law Firm. She is a frequent blogger on a variety of subjects. The firm is located at 4101 Parkstone Heights Dr., Suite 250, Austin, Texas 78746 and can be phoned at (512) 551-0807. Additionally you can find more information on the Morgan Law Firm website.

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