An Australian dad has become the first single man to father a baby via surrogacy in Victoria.
After a three-and-a-half-year-long battle to become a parent, Shaun Resnik, a gay man, welcomed his baby boy to the world in March 2022.
Shaun became a father to Eli Michael after fighting to find his surrogate Carla Pincombe, who offered to carry his baby.
Though 100s of babies have been born via surrogates across Victoria each year, only altruistic, gestational surrogacy is legal in the Aussie state, meaning no payments other than expenses and two months of lost income can be exchanged.
Under the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act 2008, parents must also be “infertile or unable to carry a baby or give birth, or there is a likely medical risk to the mother or baby if pregnancy is carried out,” greatly limiting who can start a family.
And if that wasn’t enough, it is also stipulated that a surrogate can’t use their own eggs for the pregnancy.
To overcome this Shuan met and befriended a mother of two, Bree, who donated her eggs to Carla.
The process is made even more difficult for those seeking to become single parents – something that Shaun is hoping will change now that he’s sharing his story.
Speaking to Seven News he explained: “It’s a love like I’ve never experienced before.”
Resnik said around the time: “This is huge! It’s time society got to see single gay men as dads.
“I have always wanted to be a dad, I just didn’t know how I was going to make it possible.”
