Modern technology gives people more ways to expand their families. Embryo transfers make surrogacy possible, but sometimes, it’s challenging to separate truth from fiction. “The Handmaid’s Tale” got people talking about surrogacy when the show premiered in 2017. Is there anything to learn from the series? This is everything you need to know about the show’s impact and real-world surrogacy.

What Is “The Handmaid’s Tale”?

Margaret Atwood originally published “The Handmaid’s Tale” novel in 1985. It’s spent a collective 88 weeks on The New York Times’s bestseller list because its world speaks to so many individuals.

“The Handmaid’s Tale” is a dystopian novel following Offred’s story. A Christian denomination known as Gilead overtakes America. They set up the Republic of Gilead, intending to capture fertile women and use them to repopulate the planet, all within a society structured after some Old Testament laws.

Offred is one of the captured women. She lives in a household led by Commander Fred Waterford and his wife, Serena Joy. This dynamic exists in every Gilead home. Handmaidens exist to have their commander’s baby and cyclically transfer to a new household to have another baby. The process comes from the story of Abraham and Sarah having a child through their servant, Hagar, in the Old Testament.

Why Can’t the Wives Have Babies in Handmaid’s Tale?

The world within “The Handmaid’s Tale” is losing its human population. An unnamed ecological disaster caused most women to become infertile. Gilead believers cite their Biblical beliefs as a calling to repopulate the planet by cycling handmaids as surrogate mothers trapped in a theocracy of sexual slavery.

The wives can’t have babies in “The Handmaid’s Tale” because their beliefs state their job is to raise children, not have them. Additionally, many wives are infertile.

Is Handmaid’s Tale Anti-Surrogacy?

Some readers and viewers think “The Handmaid’s Tale” is anti-surrogacy because the fictional surrogacy has dramatic consequences for the characters. It’s crucial to note that the show and book portray people purposefully redefining surrogacy for ill intent. There’s no accurate representation of the process because it’s never a consensual arrangement.

What Is Surrogacy?

Surrogacy is a financial arrangement where a person or couple donates their egg or sperm to a surrogate with a uterus that can carry a baby full term. Sometimes, the foetus shares genes with the surrogate, but embryo transfers make it possible for the surrogate to just carry the foetus as it develops.

The process begins with a contractual arrangement outlining details like the surrogate’s pay and how they will care for themselves during the pregnancy. The surrogates are responsible for ensuring they don’t let things like stress affect their bodies while they’re in charge of another person’s foetus.

The contract also covers how involved the parent or parents will be in the medical decisions regarding the foetus. Every detail gets approval from both parties before any medical procedures begin.

It may seem like “The Handmaid’s Tale” is anti-surrogacy because the handmaidens fear and loathe the process. However, it’s completely different from the real-world process because it’s not consensual.

Is Surrogacy Becoming More Popular?

More Americans are choosing surrogacy in recent years. The latest data shows 5% of infertile couples choosing surrogacy in 2020, compared to 3% undergoing surrogacy in 2014. It’s more of a public discussion due to celebrities and media figures showcasing their experiences, but there’s still the issue of cost for most Americans.

The average price for surrogacy ranges between $90–130,000 or more. The median household income is $74,580 for most Americans, making the staggering cost of surrogacy a major roadblock to expanding their families. If it were more affordable, the popularity would likely rise even more.

Reasons People Choose Surrogacy

Individuals and couples have children through surrogacy every year for numerous reasons. These are some of the most common and why people signing up to be surrogates feel passionate about the process.

1. They Receive an Infertility Diagnosis

Experts estimate that one in five people with uteruses in the U.S. can’t carry a foetus to full term. An infertility diagnosis could mean they don’t produce enough eggs or their uterus isn’t viable for a nine-month pregnancy. Either way, they may turn to surrogates for help.

Many things cause varying levels of infertility. Inflammation related to taking medication long-term may affect the body’s ability to produce healthy eggs or sperm. Sometimes infertility is genetic, while others may not be able to get pregnant due to medical treatments or emergencies. Helping people complete their families in this way is one of the main reasons people cite for becoming surrogate mothers.

2. They Have Medical Conditions

Some medical conditions cause people to only experience high-risk pregnancies. Uterine fibroids and radiation damage from cancer treatment prevent uteruses from maintaining a healthy foetus.

There are also fertility complications for some individuals. People with PCOS have irregular menstruation, making reliable ovulation cycles nearly impossible to track. Others who previously experienced a high-risk birth may not be able to maintain the uterine lining attachment necessary to keep a foetus in place throughout each trimester.

3. They’re at Advanced Ages

Sometimes, it takes years to understand what you want from life. People may also fall in love after their bodies are past their most fertile years. When age keeps someone from becoming pregnant or carrying a foetus to full term, surrogate mothers can make the dream of becoming a parent come true for ageing individuals.

Understand Surrogacy Better

“The Handmaid’s Tale” got people talking about surrogacy because it portrays an alternate reality version of the process. When done consensually in the real world, surrogacy helps people achieve their parental dreams.

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Beth, the Managing Editor and content manager at Body+Mind, is well-respected in the mental health, nutrition and fitness spaces. In her spare time, Beth enjoys cooking and going for runs with her dog.