If you think donors or surrogacy could be right for you we invite you to schedule an appointment with Dr. Saleh at SIRM Dallas, request an appointment here or call 972-566-6686.for more information, please visit: https://dallasfertilitycenter.com/treatment-options/gestational-surrogacy/

1. Alternative Family Building: What is right for
you?
Learn more about your options to build your family.
Everyone’s journey to becoming a family is unique. Some go the traditional route
– fall in love, get married, have a baby – while others take a more circuitous road.
Many people who explore alternative family building options do so because
infertility has made getting pregnant the old fashioned way virtually impossible.
For them, donor eggs or sperm, a surrogate, or adoption can be the key to
fulfilling their dream of family.
Dr. Walid Saleh of SIRM Dallas in Dallas, Texas discusses the benefits of
alternative family building.
Egg & Sperm Donation
Hearing the news that donor eggs or sperm is your best option for having a baby
can be surprising, and bring up many emotions. Many people consider a biological
connection to their child extremely important, and realizing it’s not an option is
hard to overcome. While it’s an extremely personal decision, people who have
become parents this way say that pregnancy creates an unbreakable sense of

2. connection to the baby – so much so that they can’t imagine feeling closer even if
there was more of a genetic link. As with any pregnancy, you will feel your bond
grow with each flutter and kick, you will be the first to hold your child, and you
will have a lifetime of love with the child that you brought into the world.
Surrogacy
Sometimes, the challenge in becoming pregnant has nothing to do with the egg or
sperm but with the uterus. Women who are unable to carry a healthy pregnancy
to term often consider using a surrogate, or gestational carrier. Your surrogate
can be someone you know, or a surrogacy agency can help you choose someone.
There are two types of surrogacy. With traditional surrogacy the surrogate
becomes pregnant using her own egg, which is fertilized by the intended father’s
sperm or a sperm donor. This type of surrogate is genetically linked to the child. A
gestational carrier, however, has no biological relation to the child. The use of
gestational carriers is much more common. An IVF-created embryo – using an egg
from the intended mother and sperm from the intended father – is transferred to
the carrier. The entire process, from beginning to bundle of joy, typically takes 14
to 18 months.
If you’d like more information about surrogacy, please contact Dr. Walid,
Saleh at SIRM Dallas. You can ask your questions here.
Adoption
Many people seeking to build their family choose adoption. Just as with donors
and surrogacy, coming to terms with the fact that you’re not having a child in the
way you initially hoped can be challenging. And once you do make the decision to
adopt it can be fraught with fears and concerns:
What if the birth mother changes her mind at the last minute?
What if I don’t bond with the child?
What if I love my biological child more than my adopted child?

3. Can we afford it?
How will we handle questions from our child later in life?
These are all valid concerns, however most adoptive parents report that the
concerns all fall away the moment they meet their child. Of course there will be
challenges along the way, just as there are challenges with raising any child, but
the intense love and devotion you’ll feel outweighs everything else. Be sure to
work with a reputable adoption agency, they can provide support and helpful
resources as you travel your path to parenthood.
While alternative family building may not be how you initially imagined creating
your family, many patients who have gone down this path are extremely happy
with their decision. If you think donors or surrogacy could be right for you we
invite you to schedule an appointment with Dr. Saleh at SIRM Dallas, request an
appointment here or call 972-566-6686.