Surrogacy: Woman gives birth to her own grandson

A UK woman has given birth to her own grandson after she acted as a surrogate mother for her adult son. The mother offered to carry her son's child after a female relative backed out of being the surrogate mother for medical reasons. The baby was conceived using a donor egg and the son's sperm.

This unusual arrangement made news after a High Court judge ruled that the son, who is in his mid-twenties, can now adopt the seven-month-old baby boy. This means the son will become the baby's legal father, despite the fact that the law recognizes him as the baby's brother. This is because UK laws state that surrogates are the legal mothers of the babies they carry unless they sign a parental order to transfer the rights to the biological parents after giving birth.

The decision to allow the man to adopt his son was made by Mrs. Justice Theis, who deemed the surrogate arrangement "entirely lawful." Theis, who has never encountered a surrogacy arrangement such as this, took special consideration regarding the infant's "lifelong welfare" in order to make her ruling.
The man, whose name and age are unknown, reportedly lives alone and has been working ever since he finished school.

"The papers show that for some considerable time he has wanted to be a father," the judge said. "He waited until his circumstances were settled in terms of a job and home to enable him to provide the care a child would need.

"He sought advice from specialist fertility lawyers and licensed fertility clinics, to enable him to gain advice and understanding before embarking on any process of becoming a father."

The judge also added that the man openly discussed the issue with his family and friends and that all parties involved had individual counselling during the process. The man's mother also had full support from her husband to carry the child.

According to the judge, the closeness of the family was a "critical feature" of the case and her decision. "'The father understands that the child will need to know about how he was conceived and feels that he will utilize the security of the family structure to support his son in understanding that he is a very much wanted child," she said.

Later, Theis added: "The strength of these familial relationships, and the consequent support they provide now and in the future, will ensure the child's lifelong needs are met."
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