Newsweek's in-depth look at surrogacy includes an interview with John Weltman

Newsweek's April 7th issue features a cover story about surrogacy, titled Womb for Rent: the Complex World of Surrogate Mothers. The article provides several personal stories along a summary of the historical, legal, medical, moral and financial aspects of surrogacy. It notes that today, "a greater acceptance of the practice, and advances in science, find more women than ever before having babies for those who cannot" - but that still "the demand for qualified surrogates is well ahead of supply."

Newsweek author Raina Kelly has spoken with several Circle parents, employees and surrogates in the process of preparing the article, including John Weltman, Circle's president and founder. Mentioning first the medical advances in IVF, and the fact that today most surrogates are not related biologically to the babies they carry, John Weltman is quoted saying that parents who work with a reputable agency like Circle have a "99 percent chance of getting a baby and a 100 percent chance of keeping it." John reports that while up until just about two years ago, most intended parents were concerned about the possibility of the carrier trying to keep the baby, today "a third of his clients don't even mention it."

For the most part the article focuses on the personal and emotional stories of surrogates, the women without whom none of this could have been possible. It describes the range of motivations that lead women to become surrogate mothers, and the complex emotional and moral issues that are involved. "It is an act of love, but also a financial transaction that brings people together like this".

We encourage our clients, surrogates and friends to read this article, even though some have criticized it as a "cynical expose designed to create controversy" (Shirley Zager, Organization of Parents Through Surrogacy). While there is mention of some of the criticism voiced against surrogacy, the article provides a broad view of opinions. The authors state that "Very little is understood about the world of the surrogate. That's why we talked to dozens of women across America who are, or have been, gestational carriers. What we found is surprising and defies stereotyping."

However, we find the "Womb for Rent" title on the cover page to be unfortunate and inconsistent with the content of the article, as it in fact strengthen the stereotypes that the article dispels so well... As the writers point out, most of these women certainly do not see it this way. In fact, "womb for rent" is considered by many of us as the derogative way some uninformed people look at surrogacy. It is a shame that sensationalism on the part of editors may send the wrong message and overshadow the more balanced content of article itself.

We at Circle think very highly of the surrogates and donors that are selected through rigorous screening to work with our clients. John Weltman has always been diligent in stressing that the surrogates and their families are to be cherished and respected for their roles and that both them and the intended parents should have an experience that is not just successful but also positive throughout. We are proud that practices Circle adopted over it's 12 years of existence allow us to avoid pitfalls such as over-controlling intended parents or surrogates who are solely financially motivated or unprepared for the journey, or ones that lack adequate support and approval from their families and friends. We do not blame Newsweek for mentioning that such problems exist, but we believe experienced and reputable agencies learned how to avoid or minimize them. Our clients are almost unanimous in praising their surrogates for their devotion and reliability, and our surrogates are overwhelmingly approving of the treatment they receive from both our staff and their intended parents. We are committed to continue learning how to further improve this circle of families helping create other families.

Read the Newsweek article online...

About Circle Surrogacy

Since 1995, Circle Surrogacy has helped bring to the world over 350 babies, with unmatched success rates of close to 100% in clients becoming parents through egg donor surrogacy. Its dedicated staff of professionals is made up of lawyers, social workers, parents through surrogacy, and former surrogates and egg donors. Circle Surrogacy provides a choice of specialized clinics at locations throughout the country, a large selection of egg donors, swift matching with carefully screened surrogates, and a variety of flexible programs and financial options to suit its clients' unique family choices.

John Weltman, owner, founder is a Yale graduate and a nationally recognized expert in the field of reproductive law, including surrogacy and gay parenting.

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