Marie Claire feature: Would you use a surrogate to have your baby?

This month’s Marie Claire magazine has featured a piece about surrogacy, covering real life stories and wider issues.  Our founder Helen Prosser was interviewed for the piece:

“Helen Prosser, who is co-owner of Brilliant Beginnings and legal practice Natalie Gamble Associates, says these battles are extremely rare, and happen when the parties aren’t clear about their expectations. ‘There are easier ways for a surrogate to get pregnant if she wants her own baby,’ she says. ‘But the legal framework in the UK at the moment is out of date, and leaves intended parents and surrogates vulnerable. Ultimately, we hope there’ll be a pre-birth order so the intended parents are legal parents from the moment the baby is born. That would be an enormous step forward.’ Currently, only couples can access parental orders, but Prosser hopes single people will soon be able to, too.

Many British couples choose to go to the US, where agreements are binding, but international would-be parents face costs of between £120,000 and £140,000. ‘There are more surrogates available there, and access to egg donors is also easier,’ says Prosser. ‘There simply aren’t enough surrogates in the UK.’ Although surrogacy in Asia and Africa can be cheaper, it’s not recommended.”

You can read the full article here.