Modern-Day Miracles WRITTEN BY BEVERLY HOSFORD | PHOTO KELLY KUNTZ PHOTOGRAPHY
Thanks to advances in science, the way babies are conceived and carried varies just as much as babies themselves. One in eight couples struggle with infertility and one in four women have experienced pregnancy loss. Meanwhile, some people easily get pregnant just thinking about it. Being aware of the different family-building options, however, can literally change lives and so can being sensitive to the variety of journeys people are on. Most of us picture having an obstetrician and nurses on board for the pregnancy process. Some might have a midwife, doula, massage therapist and physical therapist involved too. For others, there could be a fertility doctor, a mental health counselor and even a reproductive lawyer paving the path to parenthood. In fact, Bozeman has its very own legal practice called Embaby Fertility Law, PLLC, which has handled more than 75 reproductive law matters. Katharine Hamilton, the lawyer who helps Montanans create and grow families, says that third-party reproduction is on the rise. “This means that rather than traditional adoption, more and more people are turning to surrogacy, embryo, egg and sperm donation to have babies.” Local caregiver and surrogate, Tricia, says, “A surrogate is like a super nanny who takes care of the baby while in utero and then the intended parents take over the care of the little one once they are born.” Without a biological connection, there isn’t much risk that a surrogate will want to “keep” a baby that is not hers, which is a common misconception about surrogacy. Surrogacy and embryo donation have both branched from in vitro fertilization (IVF), where an egg and sperm are combined in a lab and then implanted into a uterus. Some families need both IVF and a surrogate to have a baby, while others might want or need to adopt due to medical, biological or personal reasons. Hamilton says, “Embryo donation is becoming the new adoption. There is less uncertainty and red tape.” Hamilton explains many couples have remaining embryos after completing their family using IVF. Going through IVF is expensive and emotionally taxing, so donation offers an alternative to discarding the remaining embryos or freezing them indefinitely. “Embryo donation is a win-win. The donors know that they have helped another couple struggling with infertility and they have given their embryos a chance at life. On the other hand, the recipients have the opportunity to carry their donor-conceived child.”
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january 2022
