A Brief Guide to Surrogacy in South Africa

Surrogacy is an effective fertility treatment that involves a third party – the surrogate mother. It’s a true blessing for couples who have been struggling with infertility specifically because the woman is unable to carry a child. South African couples who are undergoing the same difficulty in life seem to have embraced surrogacy gracefully over the past years.

Just like other nations having certain specific legal implications, South Africa too has its own set of legal guidelines for both struggling couples and surrogate mothers.

Surrogacy is South Africa has been a really controversial topic because most people show little or no interest in accepting its risk-free benefits openly. But things have changed considerably in the recent years following the step-by-step Children’s Act introduced on 1 April 2010 by the South African Legislation. South Africans have realized the real value of treatments like surrogacy and IVF South Africa. The act has shed light on all the things associated with surrogacy in South Africa to make sure both the parties can have complete peace of mind before going for such fertility treatments. Before the act, surrogacy program was very uncertain and uneasy for both surrogate mothers and commissioning parents.

Rules for potential surrogate mothers

The Children’s act has an entire chapter for surrogacy that gives clear instructions to both parties. There are guidelines that tell who can apply as potential surrogate mothers, and who cannot. The applicant must have one living child that is biologically her own. She must also produce a documented proof of her successful pregnancy. She must have her own legal residence in South Africa, and she must have adequate knowledge and understanding of what surrogacy actually is.

Rules for commissioning parents

South African residence and documented evidence showing the real need for surrogacy are two of the major legal assignments for the commissioning parents. Besides that the gametes one of both the parents are needed for conception of the child.