How Do I Become an “Intended Parent”?
Intended parents are individuals or couples filled with love and deep desire to become parents. They choose surrogacy or adoption to fulfill their dream of having a family. For many, the path to becoming an intended parent is filled with longing, determination, and the unwavering hope of expanding their family. Here’s how it typically works.
The Path of Surrogacy
Surrogacy offers a path filled with possibilities, challenges, and moments of deep human connection. Gestational surrogacy, where a gestational carrier bears a child with whom she has no genetic link, embodies a modern approach to family-building. This process leans heavily on medical science, where embryos, created using the intended parents’ or donors’ genetic material, find their beginning in the nurturing environment of the carrier’s womb. Here’s a deeper dive into what this journey involves:
- Finding a Gestational Carrier: This pivotal step often involves collaboration with specialized agencies dedicated to connecting intended parents with potential carriers. These agencies play a crucial role in the screening process, ensuring that the match is suitable for both parties.
- Legality of the Process: The creation of a surrogacy agreement is a critical early step, necessitating the help of OKC adoption attorneys. This contract delineates the rights, duties, and expectations of everyone involved, providing a legal framework that protects all parties.
- The Medical Journey: Prior to the embryo transfer, the gestational carrier undergoes rigorous medical screenings and fertility treatments. This process is delicate and demands the highest standards of medical care and ethical practice.
The Adoption Option
Adoption opens a door to profound opportunities for both children in need of a home and individuals longing to become parents. This path can lead to a diverse range of adoption scenarios, each with its own characteristics, processes, and legal considerations:
- Foster Care Adoption: This avenue provides a home to children temporarily in the state’s care, offering them stability and, potentially, a permanent family.
- Domestic Infant Adoption: For those looking to adopt a newborn, domestic infant adoption offers a pathway to parent a child from within the country.
- International Adoption: Opening your home to a child from another country adds layers of cultural enrichment but also comes with its unique set of legal and logistical challenges.
Each adoption type navigates through a distinctive set of regulations, timelines, and requirements, necessitating thorough preparation and understanding from the prospective parents.
Qualifying as an Intended Parent
The road to becoming an intended parent, whether through surrogacy or adoption, is paved with a series of qualifications and prerequisites. These criteria, often influenced by state laws and the policies of the agencies or professionals involved, ensure that the child’s best interests are at the heart of every family-building journey:
- Age Requirements: Potential parents must often meet certain age criteria, which can vary by state and agency.
- Financial Stability: Demonstrating the ability to financially support a child is a universal requirement, reflecting the importance of a secure environment for the child’s growth and well-being.
- Background and Safety Checks: A clean criminal background and a safe home environment are essential criteria, safeguarding the child’s physical and emotional security.
- Home Study Evaluation: This in-depth assessment of the prospective parents’ home and lifestyle is designed to evaluate their readiness and suitability for parenting.
Legal Guidance is Essential
Surrogacy and adoption offer beautiful paths to parenthood, but navigating these options requires legal guidance. An experienced adoption and surrogacy attorney provides essential support by:
- Safeguarding your interests as intended parents at every stage of the process.
- Ensuring legally binding agreements with gestational carriers or birth parents.
- Managing intricate paperwork and legal requirements for a smooth process.
Becoming an intended parent is a profoundly rewarding decision. While the journey has its complexities, the joy of welcoming a child into your family is immeasurable. If you are considering surrogacy or adoption, consulting with a compassionate family law attorney is the first step towards fulfilling your dreams.
If you are considering becoming an intended parent in Oklahoma, Lisa R. Howard, PLLC can guide you through the process. Our Oklahoma City adoption attorneys have the experience to help you build your family through surrogacy or adoption. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
Let us help you make your dream of parenthood a reality!