'I became a surrogate after watching friends' IVF journey'

May 9, 2026

After watching friends struggle with IVF, 33-year-old Connecticut resident Krista Scelza decided to become a surrogate mother to help others build families. Following a rigorous 14-month screening process that included medical, psychological, and background evaluations, she was matched with Adam Frisby and Jamie Corbett, a couple from Bolton, England, who chose American surrogacy due to more favorable legal protections there. Krista successfully carried and delivered a baby girl named Leven for the couple, describing the experience as deeply rewarding despite some medical challenges with hormone medications.

Who is affected

Krista Scelza (the surrogate from Connecticut)
Adam Frisby and Jamie Corbett (intended parents from Bolton, Greater Manchester)
Baby Leven (the child born through surrogacy)
UK couples and individuals using surrogacy to build families
Surrogates in the UK and internationally
Members of Parliament (who will debate the petition)

What action is being taken

A petition launched by Adam and Jamie is ongoing to change UK law so intended parents in surrogacy arrangements are recognized as legal parents from birth. The petition has gathered over 100,000 signatures and will be debated in Parliament.

Why it matters

This matters because current UK surrogacy law creates legal complications by initially recognizing the surrogate (and potentially their spouse) as the legal parent at birth, even when they have no genetic relationship to the child. Intended parents must go through a separate legal process after birth to obtain parental rights, creating uncertainty and potential vulnerability for families formed through surrogacy. The proposed changes would align UK law more closely with some US states and provide immediate legal recognition to biological or intended parents, offering greater security and reducing bureaucratic burden for families.

What's next

The petition will be debated in Parliament following its success in gathering over 100,000 signatures. No other explicit next steps are stated in the article.

Read full article from source: BBC