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Pregnancy Outside the Box
A Surrogate Journey By Kelly Burgess
The couples have a very casual arrangement, legally speaking, on their possible upcoming surrogacy arrangement. That's because, according to the sisters, they're so close they don't need anything more formal. Robert Nichols, a lawyer who specializes in surrogacy issues, is glad they have that type of relationship and says it seems like this is one that will go well, but generally, he doesn't recommend such a casual arrangement for people who are considering surrogacy.
"My advice to people who are entering into a surrogacy situation is to have a contract – even when it's family members or good friends and there's no money being paid," he says. "An attorney who specializes in these issues is more than just a guy who draws up legal papers. He'll make sure that the participants have been counseled about important issues such as things that can go wrong and how they want to deal with them."
Some of the issues Nichols worry may not have been covered include bed rest and who pays for lost income, multiple pregnancy issues, possible unhealthy behavior during the pregnancy, as well as a host of other concerns. It's also important, says Nichols, to talk to a lawyer who practices in your own state, because each state has its own surrogacy and adoption laws.
Texas has some of the clearest laws on surrogacy. Greg Stern, an attorney and legal director of Southwest Surrogacy Arrangements Inc.