Surrogate Manager Alyssa shared her surrogacy insights with a researcher in Japan

At Brilliant Beginnings, we always try to help raise awareness about surrogacy and to promote ethical practice across the world. It’s something that is part of our day-to-day, but we are also aware of what a wonderfully broad spectrum of people we get to engage with, from Governments to intended parents.

With that in mind, we wanted to give you a flavour of the variety of people we get the opportunity to speak with. Last week I spoke to a researcher at a university in Japan who reached out because she wanted to know more about the impact of surrogacy, to be able to say how Japan might approach surrogacy law and practice. As a two time surrogate in both the US and UK (and currently living in Japan), I felt surprisingly and uniquely qualified!

It was wonderfully easy to share with the researcher (and her translator) all about the amazing impact surrogacy has had in my life as well as my experience as a Surrogate and Client Manager with Brilliant Beginnings. We discussed the various pros and cons of surrogacy in the US and UK and globally, including the difference in expenses and compensation rules.

It was fascinating to hear about the amount of surrogacy, or lack thereof, there is in Japan, since the concept is still quite new there. As always, whenever I am asked to describe the best part of surrogacy, I spoke about the moment most surrogates talk about: the overwhelming feeling of joy to finally see the parents hold their baby for the first time. Every single jab, scan, and labour pain is worth it for such a splendid moment.

It felt like a huge honour to be asked to participate in a study on surrogacy’s global impact and I look forward to reading the (translated) report in the coming months.

Over many years, Brilliant Beginnings has been pleased to work with researchers, policymakers and international bodies around the world to promote responsible ethical surrogacy practice.

By Alyssa Martin, Brilliant Beginnings Surrogate & Client Manager