For people considering surrogacy, it can be difficult to know where to begin and what to anticipate. Before entering into any surrogacy arrangement within Australia, there are key questions that each person should ask to avoid legal uncertainty and possible missteps. VARTA, in collaboration with Kellehers Australia, has compiled a legal checklist resource which should be essential reading for anyone contemplating a surrogacy arrangement. These checklists are modifications of the checklists devised and created by Kellehers Australia.

VARTA strongly encourages people considering surrogacy to make these arrangements within Australia. The unregulated environments that occur overseas can pose potentially serious risk or disadvantage for all parties involved in surrogacy arrangements – in particular, for resulting children. However, recognising that international arrangements do occur, the following checklist has been compiled in collaboration with Kellehers Australia. This checklist is a modification of the checklist devised and created by Kellehers Australia.

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the outcomes of surrogacy among Australian intended parents who engage in compensated surrogacy overseas.

Design, setting and participants: Members of two Australian parenting support forums who were considering surrogacy or were currently or previously in a surrogacy arrangement were invited to complete an anonymous online survey during July 2013.