LGBTQ+: Surrogacy & Path to Parenthood

Surrogacy allows LGBTQ+ couples to have and embrace a child with a biological connection to one of the two parents.

LGBTQ+ Community: A Path to Parenthood

Surrogacy June is a month full of colors , love and pride , a month of diversity and rights , of justice and equal opportunities for the LGBTQ+ community. Festivals, celebrations, pride parades , and picnics with millions of participants worldwide frame Pride Month every year, the June of pride.

The Right to Parenthood The right to the happiness of parenthood is one of the main demands of the LGBTQ+ community. The diversity of modern couples and their need to have biological children is the answer to whether restrictions should be placed on the desire of same-sex couples who wish to start a family . Furthermore, the need for procreation in same-sex couples is a completely conscious decision and certainly not the result of some 'misfortune'. Although Greek legislation is generally considered modern in the area of recognizing same-sex couples , they do not have the possibility of joint access to Medically Assisted Reproduction methods even when there are health reasons. In practice, however, the law cannot prevent a same-sex couple from seeking Medically Assisted Reproduction support if one partner appears as a single unmarried woman. Surrogacy is a solution that gives many couples the opportunity to start a family and embrace a child . It also offers same-sex couples the joy of having children with a biological connection to one of the two parents.

Surrogate Mother The surrogate mother carries the embryo intended for the couple who cannot conceive. The embryo is created and developed with the help of in vitro fertilization , using eggs and sperm from the couple or an anonymous donor. The role of the surrogate mother is significant but also procedural . That is, the mother will carry the embryo but will not be biologically related to it, and in no case does she use her own egg. The surrogate mother must be healthy and meet specific medical criteria , such as not having undergone more than two C-sections, while the completion of the process is confirmed by a court decision . It should be noted that international legislation regarding surrogacy varies, as European countries such as Italy, France, Iceland, Sweden, and Germany have banned all forms of surrogacy. On the other hand, England, Canada, Ireland, Portugal, and South Africa are some of the countries that allow altruistic (without financial compensation) surrogacy , although imposing some restrictions . For example, in South Africa, altruistic surrogacy is only allowed for heterosexual married couples . Same-sex couples face difficulties in finding a country that will allow them to have a child through surrogacy , so many travel to the USA and places like Boise, the idyllic city in Idaho, to make their dream of becoming parents a reality.